It's Only Castles Burning
by twiniitowers
Summary: 10-13-2003-Dinner For Three At The Forman House-Please R-R
1. Eric Forman Could Not Say No Mrs Reagan

Chapter 1

Eric Forman Could Not Say No, Mrs. Reagan

(time line continuing after Chapter 15 in "Forbidden Kiss")

     Eric sat in the parked car for what seemed like forever, but in all actuality it was twenty minutes.  He didn't want to go back inside the house.  That wasn't entirely true.  He did want to go inside, he just didn't want to face Donna.  Still, he knew he had to get it over with, so he took a deep breath the way a diver does before jumping into the ocean waters and walked with his head held high as he entered through the kitchen door hoping not to be smothered.  Who was he kidding?  Donna certainly was no Kitty and she never smothered her Husband.  It was then that Eric was relieved that his parents were gone because this would have been a terrible burden to place on them.  It could've driven him back to the reason that he had 'this problem' in the first place.  He opened up the refrigerator and took out a bottled water.  He felt the wind of the kitchen door open on his back.  Eric turned around making sure to say the first words on the matter.

"This is NOT OPEN to discussion, Donna," Eric didn't want the water any more and put it back in the fridge, "Call Jackie later, I want Megan to come home.  And if I'm what you like to call a sexist pig right now, I don't care.  Those are my instructions.  Yeah, instructions.  Deal with it."  Eric swung the door open hard, to make his exit. 

Donna could tell he had misplaced anger due to the situation and it was the only reason why he wasn't going to be sleeping on the sofa tonight.  She actually wanted Megan to be home as well, because she didn't even want her to go to Pennsylvania in the first place.  She felt bad for Hunter's condition but her daughter was not Florence Nightingale and she wanted Megan to be back in her regular school.  Hunter was a nice kid, and Donna respected the fact that they were boyfriend and girlfriend but she also did not want them to grow up so damn fast.

She was torn between taking a long hot bath before calling Jackie or to make the matter right?  Because due to Eric's reaction when he came home told her clearly that nothing positive came out of his trip to the gas station.  Should she?

God have mercy on her soul, but Donna figured an argument with Eric later on was price paid for what she felt that she had to do.  She got her jacket off the kitchen chair and took her car keys off the hook.  They weren't in their twenties anymore.  Hell, they weren't even in their forties anymore and he was going to regret it sooner or later, because she knew him and these are the kind of regrets that you don't want to have.  These are the regrets that eat you up until you are soulless.  Then you die an incomplete shell. 

"I'm doing this for you, Eric."  Donna whispered as she pulled out of the driveway hoping that she was doing the right thing.

Fifteen Minutes Later

     Donna parked next to the air pumps as she didn't want to leave her car by the gas tanks incase someone needed a fill up.  It was amazing she fainted over this young man before and here she was about to TALK to him.  It's funny how life plays with your emotions and priorities.   There was an older man behind the counter doing a super circle word puzzle with greasy hands and dirty fingernails.  

Donna cleared her throat before she spoke.

"Hello.  Is um, I don't know his name, the young man that works here—did he leave for the day?"  Donna asked uneasily.

"He's in the back," the guy didn't look up from his super circle word, "Go ahead."

Donna thought that was a piss poor way to run a business and very irresponsible in the what color is the security level alert age they been living in for far too long.

She came to the closed painted cracked white door that had a black sticker with golden trim and lettering that said "Private" on it in the center.  She knocked.

"Come in."

Donna opened the door, scared for herself, scared for Eric, Megan, and the young man himself.

"Hello," she said

Donna watched as he jumped back when he realized it was her.  

"What do you want?"  he asked in a mildly defensive tone.

"Um, I feel funny not knowing your name."  

She tried not to be taken in by his familiar features.  That's what made her faint before.

"Mark."

"May I sit down?"

"I don't care, this isn't my property."

"Mark, I'm Donna.  Eric's Wife."

"I know. I just didn't know your name, either."

"You don't have to be defensive with me.  I came here to extend a laurel branch.  Eric doesn't want to discuss what happened here and I didn't come here to pry information out of you, Mark.  I just was hoping maybe, you could see Eric tomorrow?"  

She took out her business card out of her wallet and put it on the old desk. It had their address on it.

"There's nothing to discuss.  I think Eric's made it clear where I stand.  Thank you for coming, Donna, but I'm going to camp out at the bus station tonight, my bus to Indy leaves in the morning."

She sighed, "Whatever you feel comfortable with.  Maybe, you can see him before your bus leaves tomorrow just a thought.  He works at home.  Well, that's all I came to say."

She stood up.

"Goodbye, Donna.  I wish we could've met under better circumstances."

"Bye, Mark, and don't be a stranger."  She felt the need to shake hands with him, and was surprised that he recipicated it.  He had a solid handshake.

He waited for Donna to leave before putting his denim jacket on, getting his worn duffle bag off the floor, told Sal that it was "nice knowing him and goodbye" and walked to the Point Place Greyhound station with Donna's last words echoing in his mind, "Don't be a stranger."

But that's exactly what Mark McAdam was to Eric Forman, a stranger.

     Morning of Megan's arrival back home

       Eric was happy that Donna surprisingly didn't bring up the subject against his wishes. Wow.  Maybe, she was beginning to take hints after all these years? Eric was glad to have the boring routine back; Donna was pouring the orange juice, as he had to read the stock market section of the newspaper.  Bor-ing.  But he was glad to have that boredom.  However, he was joyful that his lollipop was coming back home today.  Donna was going to pick her up at the airport because he had to have an instant messenger meeting with a client who didn't know how to invest their inheritance. 

How can you not know how to invest your money?  But Eric couldn't complain it paid the bills.  But he felt his career was oh-so-stereotypically-boring and not exciting like being a record producer like his best friend was.

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast?"  Eric asked, not really interested in his bagel.

"I'm not hungry, besides, I thought I'd take Megan out after I pick her up."

"Maybe, I should take the day off and go with you?"  Eric looked up from his newspaper.  

Donna had to keep her cool, because she wasn't entirely sure if Mark was going to actually show up or not.  But she did nervously drop a butter knife on the floor.

"No.  That's not a good idea, Eric.  Don't you have that internet meeting with a client?"

"Yeah, but I was hoping to get out of it."

"Nice try," she kissed him on the cheek, "Well, I better get ready, airports are NOT fun."  

"Okay.  Tell Megan I said 'hi'.  I miss her."  

"I will, and she'll be home soon enough.  Five bucks says, first thing she does is either IM or phone Hunter."

Eric smiled, "And are you going to begrudge her that? Sorry, Donna, no bet, because I know she's going to do that, too."

He couldn't wait to see his sweet little (okay, she wasn't so little anymore) girl again.

"Bye, Eric."  Donna took her teacup with her as she exited the kitchen.

Hoping for the best.

       Megan could NOT believe her Mother. First she makes her come home early, second she drove like a maniac on the highway, almost hitting a semi wheeler, and thirdly she seemed to be in a hurry at the family restaurant she chose to stop at.

"Mom, are you in a rush or something?"

"No, I'm fine, Megan.  Eat your pancakes."  Donna replied as she stirred her tea

"You've stirred your tea like ten thousand times, Mother!  And actually, I'm the one that is in a rush, I told Hunter I'd email him as soon as I got home."

"Sorry," Donna didn't realize she was even stirring the tea, "And only thirty minutes on the computer."

"Yes, master.  I suppose I have to go to school tomorrow?"

"Since when is school an option, Megan?  Yeah, you're going."  Donna replied thinking that if she knew Megan was going to have to come home so soon she never would have hired that tutor.  

Megan was surprised that Donna wasn't making her go to school right now for a half day.

"Do you take pleasure in yelling at me, Mom?  I'm a woman you know."

"No, I don't enjoy yelling at you, which I am not doing right now, and correction you are ONLY a young woman."

"Jackie talks to Hannah differently."  

"I am not Jackie."

"You're telling me.  Can we go home now?  I want to see Dad and email Hunter for my thirty minutes of online time."

Between her and her daughter being strained, and god only knows what's going on between Eric and Mark (if anything was even going on), Donna was not hungry, it hurt her to see Megan push her plate away as if she were the Amazonian lumberjack version of Mommie Dearest.

      Eric was only using part of his brain to deal with his instant messenger client meeting, it was very easy to go on automatic pilot with this job while the other half of his brain thought about a happier time.

~Eric's flashback~

~2005~

     "Bye, Donna!"  Sometimes nothing made Eric happier than when Donna left the house to drop off her writing assignments and/or to meet with various editors because that meant he had his sweet baby girl all to himself.

Megan was sitting on the floor in the master bedroom all-adorable and cute like colorful rainbows and soft bunnies in her denim overalls, which Donna always bought one size up to give her more comfort since she was paralyzed from the waist down, and a little pink shirt with thread swirls though the round neckline and cuffs.  Eric bought her, her R2-D2 socks and white sneakers from the BabyGap store.

"How's my lollipop?"  he smiled as he sat down on the floor across from her

"Da!"  She reached out with her hands to him.

She was four years old, but her speech wasn't developed like Hannah and Hunter's was, she was going to start her speech therapy when she started Pre School in a few months. 

"Do you want a hug from your Daddy?"  

There was a never an embrace more special than that of a Daddy hugging his cute baby girl. 

"La, Da!" 

"Daddy loves Megan, too!"  He carried her downstairs to give her snack of juice and cookies.  

And not the organic healthy cookies that no one liked, but Donna seemed to buy anyway, but the awesome double stuff Oreos.  If she had to drink 100% fruit juice then double stuff Oreos were the only way to go.  She couldn't have much milk as it irritated her stomach.

He made sure she was in her booster seat, which had to be ordered special from a company in Chicago that dealt with products and accessories for handicapped children.   Eric snapped together her tray and connected it to the table. 

"You are too cute!  Can I have your nose?"  he "took" it and she laughed.

He went to the refrigerator to take out two juice boxes.  He put the little straw in the box and placed it on his daughter's tray.

"Now the cookies!"  He tried to do is best Cookie Monster voice, but all of his imitations sounded the same, but to Megan, her Father was the greatest.

Eric got the Mickey Mouse (a gift from Jackie) cookie jar from on top the refrigerator and brought it to Megan so she could take her cookies.  It was easy for Megan to grab the jar seeing as it was made out of plastic and it broke from Eric's hands causing her to get about ten cookies on her tray.

"Hey!  Whoa!  I think that's too many, lollipop."

"No!"

He looked at her smile and didn't want her to throw a tantrum if she didn't get to eat her ten double stuff Oreos.  

"Okay, well consider yourself lucky, Megan."   

Eric put the cookie jar back in its place and put the straw in his juice box.

She waved a cookie in the air, "Da!"

"Is this for me?"

"Y-ea."

"Aw, you are such a sweetie pie!"  Eric took the cookie and kissed her on the head.

The phone rang and Eric waved to Megan as he went to answer it.

"Hello?  Oh, hi, Donna—it's your Mommy, Megan---she's waving.  Yeah. Just cookies and juice.  How many cookies did I give her?  Just two.  I love you, too.  Bye, Donna.  Your Mother doesn't have to know that you conned me out of ten Oreos, well only nine, since you shared!"  

Eric went to the sink to wet a washcloth so he could wipe the crumbs off her face; she only ate two and a half Oreos so technically he didn't exactly lie to Donna as to how many cookies he gave her.

"Do you want to play your peg game?"

"Ok."  She did a bounce with her upper half of her body.

This was on the suggestion on one of the many books Donna read on special needs children.  It's not that Eric didn't want to read the literature, he just felt, you learned by doing, not from reading a book by some of the people who just have PhD's and might have observed a few handicapped children for research studies but having a 'special needs' child and just writing about one, no matter how many fancy diplomas you have hanging in your office, were two different things to him.   It was a wooden box about the size of a small toaster with three shapes cut out, a triangle, square, and circle.  They were outlined in the colors of the pegs-the triangle was blue, the square red, and the circle green.  Megan had trouble with the game.  Eric sat on the floor with Megan in the living room and put the game in front of her.  Instructing her in his gentle way.  He thought Donna was too heavy handed, she would never learn that way.  

"Okay watch Daddy, Megan," Eric picked up the blue triangle, "This is a triangle and it is blue."  

He put her hands on the triangle so she could feel the shape, then he guided her fingers to the triangular shaped hole to trace it.  Eric smiled as he put the triangle in the proper hole.  

"Da!"

"Okay, Megan," Eric took out the triangle piece from the compartment in the bottom, and put the game in front of her, "take your time."

At first Megan seemed more interested to suck on the triangle piece then to play the game.

"Don't eat that."

Megan put the triangle in the circular hole and she tried forcing it so it would fit.

"No, no—try again."  

Eric had waited a month for her to get one of these shapes in their correct spots.

"Da!"  she replied frustrated

"You can do it, baby.  Meg-an, Meg-an."  He did a little cheer for her.  Jackie would have found that cute.

Megan grabbed the square and put it in the circle compartment, she let out a cry and threw the piece almost hitting Eric in the eye as it landed next to him.

"Okay, baby, we don't have to play anymore."  

He picked her up and they went to the sofa where he held her.  "I love you, lollipop.  You are the best daughter ever.  And you'll get the hang of that game someday.  I know it."

Eric kissed her on the forehead and decided to put her down for her nap right on the sofa, he had work to do on the computer, so she'd be closer to him than if he put her down in her bedroom.  He took off her glasses and rubbed cheeks with her so she wouldn't be scared.  He covered her with a light blanket and kissed her on the forehead once more.

"Do you want a story, Megan?"

"O-k." she yawned

He grabbed a long soft cover book off the coffee table it was called  "Getting To Know Your Shapes and Colors" 

"I love you, sweetie, don't you ever give up on yourself, because I'm NEVER going to give up on you.  Use the force like Luke Skywalker did!"  He said to his sleeping daughter when he finished the book.

When Megan woke up she actually WANTED to play the peg game and although it took three tries, she finally got one! She got the triangle.  It was one of the happiest moments of Eric's life.

"You did it, Megan! You DID use the force!"  He picked her up and swirled her around the room with a big hug and kiss.  He couldn't wait to tell Donna about her accomplishment today.

"Da!"  But all she wanted was another hug from her Daddy.

~End flashback~

     Megan was angry that Donna switched the radio stations when it got to a song that she liked, but rather than a verbal sparring match with her Mother, which could easily cause her to lose her internet privileges for about a year, she just stewed quietly, and opened up her notebook to look at the Romeo and Juliet drawing that Hunter did.  He drew them as if they were authentic Shakespearean characters.  She thought she looked beautiful standing erect.  Being in a wheelchair DID suck.  Just because one was used to it, didn't mean that they liked it.  She was proud of Hunter for handling his temporary disability well, once the shock of being in the wheelchair wore off.   She kissed the picture and put it back in her carryon bag as they were almost home. 

"Sh**."  Donna said as she turned off the radio.

Megan looked up to see her Father outside having a tense conversation with some young person around Tiffany's age group. 

"Mom—Who is Dad fight---" Then Megan caught a look of the man's face and almost did a double take.

By the time Donna got Megan out of the van the man sprinted past her with

His thin and semi muscular build. 

"I should've known that you COULDN'T RESPECT my wishes for once, Donna."  Eric said in an angry voice. not looking at his Wife.

"Daddy—are you okay?"  Megan asked concerned

"Yes, Megan.  I'm fine.  I missed you, lollipop."  He kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.

Eric helped Donna with Megan's suitcases as neither one of them said a word to each other.  Megan was not going to go through dealing with them fighting again.  When they were inside the house she wheeled herself by the sofa and spoke.

"Are you two fighting again?!"

Donna did not want to lie to her daughter, "No, were having a discussion. I'm sorry, Eric, but I didn't want you to have any regrets later on."

"That WAS NOT for you to decide."

Megan realized her Mother was lying to her, this WAS a fight, you don't apologize to your Husband when you are having a 'discussion'.  Megan knew this fight had everything to do with the man that her Father was arguing with on the porch.  That wasn't a discussion, either. 

"Dad, WHO was that young man that you were fighting with on the front porch?"

Eric let down his guard for a brief moment, he didn't know how Hyde was able to make a career out of keeping it all inside, it was very difficult to close your being off.    He sat on the coffee table and held his daughter's hands.  He loved her SO MUCH and knew he was probably the world's biggest hypocrite for turning Mark away.  But it HAD to be done. 

"His name is Mark McAdam," Eric replied with a bit of nervousness in his voice, "And he's my son."


	2. To Err Is Human

Chapter 2

To Err Is Human

     Hunter was worried as there was no email from Megan and her IM still had her Away message on it.  He didn't have to go to school today because he was too tired from spending all night with Megan.  So, Jackie said it was okay that he stay home "just this once".   As ten minutes turned into fifteen Hunter went from worried to panic.  This was not like Megan.  He was in a hurry and almost backed his wheelchair into a corner.  He stopped and took a deep breath focusing on getting to the telephone.  He let it ring ten times hoping that somebody would answer.  

"H-hello?"  Megan asked, it was obvious she had been crying

"Megan, it's me, Hunter.  Are you okay?"

"Hunter, I'm SO sorry that I didn't get to email you yet.  I'm upset," Megan felt the sickness rise up," I have to puke again.  Being in a wheelchair REALLY sucks, I'm not going to make it to---"

She pressed the HOLD button just in the nick of time as Hunter's heart started to pump in his head.  He was consumed with worry.  Why was she so upset that she got herself sick?  The five minutes seemed like an eternity as he waited for Megan to come back.  

"I'm so sorry.  It couldn't be helped," She coughed, "I have to put you on hold again.  I can't stand the stench—"

"Megan---" Too late.  She all ready put him on hold again.

Hunter waited patiently for yet another five minutes as he peeled an address label off an envelope that was on the table next to him. 

"Megan, what's wrong?"  He asked when she came back to the phone

"I'm okay.  I just threw up twice, it's no big deal."

"It is a big deal. But you said you were upset, who got you upset?  Did you get into a fight with Donna again?"

"Eric--"  

"You got into a fight with your father?  Why?"  

They were very close, even closer his sister and their father at times.  It was hard to believe that Eric and Megan would ever argue with one another. 

"No, Daddy and I didn't get into a fight."

"I don't get it."  he gently replied.

"I have a brother."  Megan said nonchalantly as if she won a free soda at a fast food place for having the winning game ticket.

"WHAT?!"

"His name is Mark and I saw him when Mom and me came home from the airport.  He looks just like MY Dad!  Except he's got more arm muscle."

"Megan, you are losing me here.  Since when does Eric have a son?"

"He told me that he only found out recently.  I have to believe that's the truth."  She replied nervously, she never once had a reason to doubt her Father.

"You know your Dad would never hurt you."

"I know, Hunter."

"How old is this Mark person?"

"Probably around Tiffany's age."

"What happens now, Megan?"

"I have no clue.  Dad said 'that he got rid of the problem and that it's over with' and then Mom smirked at him as she followed him upstairs and then I went in my room and got sick."

"How do you feel about all this?"

"I haven't had a chance to feel anything but sick.  I'm tired from my trip and I know I promised that I'd email you.   I feel so bad about that---"

"It's okay, Megan.  If you need me you know that I'm always here for you."

"That means a lot to me.  I love you, Hunter, we'll talk tomorrow, email me, and we'll set up a time."

"I love you, too."

He hated not being able to comfort his fiancée and make her feel all-better.  He wondered if this was the reason that Megan had to leave much earlier than planned and that his parents knew about this all along but didn't bother to tell him about it?  He briefly thought of confronting his parents, but then he reasoned that Megan didn't need to be caught in the middle of that as well.  He did the only thing he could do.  Wheel himself back into his room after sending Megan a quick email and an electronic get well card.  Then he could crawl back into his safe artists paint box world. 

     (note-this takes place after Eric and Donna go upstairs/and the Megan and Eric scene is after her phone call with Hunter)

     When Eric got to the top of the stairs he turned around to face his Wife.  Sometimes he wondered if they really were the perfect high school Soul mates who had a 'Great Love' and were meant to be together forever?  

"We're not talking about this, so stop following me.  I'll lock myself in the bathroom, Donna."  Eric replied like he was eight years old

Donna ignored what he said as she followed him into the master bedroom.

"You'd have to come out sometime.  I believe that you'll feel better if you talk about it."

"Read that in a self help book, did you?"   Eric sat on the hope chest.

Donna ignored that comment and plowed full steam ahead, "Fine, we don't have to talk about it, but only after you answer a question for me."

"What?"  he looked at the carpet rather than in her eyes

"I want to know what you meant by when you said that you got rid of the problem and it's over with?"

Eric stood up, "I thought that was self explanatory."

"You are impossible.  The first time I can take some responsibility for.  Maybe, I should have told you—and I can understand the shock because I'm sure you figured it out by now, that seeing Mark was the reason why I fainted.  But, the second time—how could you REJECT your own son, Eric?  This is a side of you I've never seen and it's a side that's very unbecoming to you."

"It's for the best, Donna."  

Why was he acting like the old long ago Hyde during the basement era all of a sudden?

Donna tried to get closer to Eric but he backed himself away.

"No.  This topic is FOREVER closed."  

Eric left the room and sure enough Donna followed right behind him.

"Why are you still following me?"  he faced her before going down the stairs.

Donna let out a tired sigh, "Damn you, Eric.  You want to be alone, fine.  But I can't believe YOU of all people would REJECT their own son."

"And I can't believe YOU of all people would cast judgment on me.  Tell Megan I'll be back later."  He went down the stairs.

"Tell her yourself."    Donna turned around and went back to their bedroom, thanks to her lovely Husband she had a splitting headache and needed to take a migraine OTC tablet for it before lying down. 

How could Eric Forman reject his own son?  Maybe, Armageddon was near after all?

     Eric took his jacket off the hook in the living room by the front door and draped it over his arm.  Donna didn't need to tell him to tell Megan anything.  He loved his daughter more than anyone else in the world, which cast a shadow of irony over this whole thing.  When he got to Megan's room he found her sleeping. He put his jacket on her wheelchair.   He took the top sheet that was on the floor and put it over her since she was lying on top of her blankets.  There was the familiar lingering stench of vomit coming from the wastebasket.  When did Megan get sick?  Did he make his precious lollipop so ill at the thought that her Daddy was never really Superman and more like a Super Dill hole?  Eric took the wastebasket and smelled the scent of Lysol that Megan tried to cover up the odor with.  He put the can in her bathtub and took the shower attachment off the hook and put the hot water on full blast.  He grabbed the liquid soap off the sink and squirted a few drops in the wastebasket to get it clean.

"Daddy?"  Megan asked groggily, she just fell asleep and felt the need to use the bathroom.  She wasn't going to put on her hearing aid at first just her glasses, but she was glad she listened to her inner voice.

"Are you okay, sweetie?"  Eric rinsed out her wastebasket as he turned off the shower, put it back on the hook and let the can dry in the tub on top of her shower chair.

"I'm fine.  I thought I cleaned the wastebasket?"

"You covered it up with Lysol.   Are you sure that you're okay?"  Eric gently asked, Donna could be a nag sometimes, but Megan was his lovely daughter, and he NEVER wanted to see her hurt.

"I noticed your jacket on my wheelchair.  I put it on my desk—are you going out?"

"I was going to—just for a walk."

"Can we talk before you go?"

Eric smiled at her, he knew the day would come when she'd be married to Hunter and she wouldn't need him for anything anymore.

"Of course, Megan—"

"Um—After—" she coughed

"Oh? Okay, sorry," Eric walked past her, "I'll see you in a few minutes."

There were more important things to Megan than getting the sleep that she thought she wanted.  Getting answers to her questions were far more significant.

He Who Is Without Sin

     "Why do you tell me these things, Jackie?"  Hyde asked his Wife at the kitchen table.  "He's being the typical dick."

Hunter had his lunch earlier so they were able to have the time by themselves and all was going smoothly until Jackie brought up the subject of Forman.

"Steven," Jackie put her fork back in her salad

"Jackie, you brought the subject up.  And I am not getting involved in this.  It's NOT our problem."  

Hyde felt bad for the kid.  Imagine wanting to know your birth father and have him not once, but twice reject your attempts.  Forman could sometimes be the biggest jerk on the planet and Hyde had no qualms on saying that to his face if need be.  With Megan he was Dr. Cliff Huxtable with Mark he was being Bud Hyde.  But he knew it was kind of their problem already because Megan was going through it, which made Hunter even more quiet and withdrawn because his girlfriend had an ass for a father.

"Don't you think you're being too judgmental with Eric?"  Jackie figured it had to be difficult for him to deal with the fact that he just found out that he had a grown son after all these years.

"No.  And I don't think we should talk about this anymore."  Hyde replied as he broke a potato chip in half.

Because if he and Jackie seriously fought over this Hyde would definitely have to consider boarding a plane just to fly to Wisconsin and kick him in the ass.  

"I still think you should cut Eric some slack."  Jackie added as she stood up to clear the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher before heading back to work.

"I'll load the dishwasher," Hyde got up making sure to wrap his arms around her waist, there could be no other woman for him, "You keep the bed warm."  
  


He kissed her on the neck.

"Steven—that tickles," She let out a small laugh, "We don't have the house to ourselves."

"I know, Jackie.  That makes it all the more fun."  He smiled 

Besides he doubted very much that Hunter would even come out of his room, he was probably immersed in yet another artistic creation.

"You don't think we're too old for afternoon sex do you?"  Jackie teased

"Bite your tongue, woman. —And there are some thing's you are never too old for."

'Screw the dishes. Hannah and/or Hunter could do them later' Hyde thought as he picked Jackie up and carried her to their bedroom.

         Eric picked up a random book while Megan was in the bathroom.  What in the Hell was she reading?  The book was wrapped in a brown paper cover and Eric turned back to the title page—"Enabling Romance—A guide to love, sex, and relationships for the disabled-and the people who love them."

Was she even still a virgin?  He DID NOT want to think about his 'baby' having sex!  He was certain that Donna did not see this book because everyone in the house would have known about it by now if she had.  Eric quickly put the book back where he got it off the small bookshelf and grabbed a magazine off her end table instead.  "Teen Quiz Number 10-Are you ready to have sex with your boyfriend?"   He couldn't win and put the magazine back catching a glimpse of Hunter and Megan's picture from the dance last year.  'Don't corrupt my daughter, Hunter.' Eric foolishly thought when Megan returned to her room.

"Sorry, I took so long, Dad."

"It's okay, lollipop.  What's on your mind?"

She put herself back in her bed even though she wasn't tired anymore.  Without a spoken word between them she let her father tuck her in bed like the old days when she was little.  

"How come you don't want to see Mark? And why do you consider him a problem that is over with because you got him angry and he left?"

He could avoid that question if anyone else in the world asked it, Donna, Hyde, or even the President of the United States, but his loveable daughter Megan? No way, he loved her too much to not answer any questions she had about any facet of life.

"Megan, sometimes when we're adults we have to do things that we may not want to do, but have to for the greater good.  As harsh as it seems Mark is not a part of this family—I cannot afford to do anything that might jeopardize OUR family."

"And how come he can't be a part of our family?"

"It's not a matter of can't and won't.  It is about what's for the best.  Deep down, he knows that."

'Not my daddy. He looks like my dad, sounds like my dad, but those CAN'T be his words. I believe in me—Hunter and me—that's reality*.'

"Well, I don't want to keep you from your walk and I'm kind of tired."  she lied

"Okay, sweetie," Eric kissed her on the forehead, "I love you, Megan.  I hope I explained everything well to you.  If you have any more questions don't be afraid to ask me."  

She nodded.  "Love you too, Dad."  

Megan waited for Eric to put on his jacket and leave out her back door before letting out the heaviest sigh.  He explained things well all right, but none of it made any sense whatsoever.  She got out of bed and went back into her wheelchair so she could check her computer to see if she got an email from Hunter.  She thought she KNEW her father.  After all he adopted her, the drug-addicted baby who came very close to dying numerous times through a program that was designed to help former addicts JUST LIKE her dad.  He didn't argue with her.  He didn't shun her.  But in a way it seemed like he did.  This wasn't the same man whom she had cookies and juice with, helped her with her math problems, and was her support system when her Mother was in her Attila the Hun modes.  How could he NOT WANT to see his own son?  How could doing so jeopardize their family unit?  How could he not want to know his own flesh and blood?  When it was obvious that Mark had reached out  [twice] and had wanted to know him? 

The dream is over.*

       35 Minutes Later

     Eric did not have any specific plans when he went out for his walk.  He just liked to go for walk to clear his head whenever there was a problem or some other stress inducing moment.  Megan deserved his explanations, but he didn't feel that he should have to expose his inner self to his Wife if he DID NOT want to.  How could Donna go behind his back like that?  How could she give Mark their address?  Well, he already knew where they lived since he 'broke' into their house while they were in Pennsylvania when Hunter was in the hospital.  And to think he thought that Donna was respecting his wishes that he wanted the matter dropped.  He's had the realization before that he should've chosen Jackie, something he never would say out loud for fear that Hyde would put him in a body bag.  When you're in high school you sometimes see people as one dimensional that and coupled with the fact that the person you are at sixteen is usually not the same person you are when you are much older.  He hoped it would be actual true love for his daughter and Hunter.  He was happy that they lived a few hundred miles away from each other and weren't burning out from each other due to daily interaction.  'I should've chosen Jackie' Eric thought as he found himself at the bus station.  Compared to other cities bus stations the size of this one was pretty small.  He went to the counter and had to wait in line in front of a woman who didn't know English and who had four screaming kids attached to her.  He was in no hurry, but at the same time he felt he was.  

"May I help you, Sir?"  the harried woman behind the counter asked

Eric didn't know what he was going to say until he opened up his mouth.

"Did the bus leaving for Indianapolis depart yet?"

She typed a few strokes on her keyboard and looked up, "That bus left already, Sir.  Were you looking to purchase a ticket for the next one?"

"No, thanks."  Eric replied, getting ready for the 'long' walk home.

He thought about hailing a taxi but figured he was in no mood for one of Donna's sermons and he needed to get his composure back before seeing his daughter again.  

'You blew it, Forman.'

12:30AM

It wasn't until Eric was in the midst of yet another restless sleep and he turned on the TV in frustration in their bedroom, but kept it on mute

so he wouldn't wake Donna, but saw a commercial for life insurance where the father was playing catch in the yard with his three year old son, it was then as he tried to hold back the tears that Eric Forman realized that he did CARE about Mark after all.

"Eric, you're stealing the covers."  Donna said in a tired voice as she pulled on them.

Eric didn't answer her; he just sank deeper in their bed as he turned the TV off, accidentally dropping the remote control on the floor because he missed the end table.  He wasn't about to stretch his arm down to the floor to pick it up.  He closed his eyes but could not fall asleep.  

"Donna," he whispered, "Are you still awake?"

"ba-rely."  She stretched her words, "what?"  She turned her body to face him.

"I have a son who," he didn't want to cry, "W-what am I g-going t-to d-do?"  

Donna held her Husband in her arms as he cried into her shoulder during the bitter pre Spring night.

     Breakfast

     Megan was not in the mood to go to school but she didn't want to deal with Sgt. Donna's lunatic rantings on the matter, so she took a shower, got dressed, and went in the kitchen.  Dinner last night was incredibly awkward with Eric and Donna hardly talking to each other, she basically choked on her food so she could wheel herself as far away from them as possible.  

"Good morning, Megan.  I poured you your juice already."   Donna said, putting the frozen waffles in the toaster

'You mean I don't have to do it myself to prove that I'm independent and could do menial tasks all by myself?' 

"Uh, thanks, Mom.  Why are you making regular toaster waffles and not your whole wheat organic disgusting ones?"  Megan asked

"Because I know you don't like them."

Megan looked around.  "Where's Dad?"

He was always up by now so that they could all eat together as a family.

'Mom's going to lie to my face, I can tell, she's going to stand there towering above me and lie to me as she poured my juice and is making me the regular frozen waffles with the Log Cabin syrup.  She's going to f***ing lie to me.  Hey, Donna, I AM NOT STUPID.'

"He went out of town for a business meeting, he'll be back tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest." 

Just as Donna finished talking the toaster popped up four golden brown waffles.

'LIAR!'

Donna took the waffles out of the toaster and put them on the emerald green plate that Megan made when they made her take pottery a few years ago, to get to her to find a hobby and interact with other children outside of school.  She presented them to Megan with a smile that her daughter couldn't tell if it were genuine or false.  It was too early in the morning to care about such trivialities. Megan was not stupid; she had a pretty good idea on where her father was.  She took the top off the butter dish and struck the knife in it hard.

"Here you go, Megan."   Donna handed her the bottle of syrup.

"Thanks, Mom," Megan replied with a fake smile of her own, hoping that her father and Mark could work out some kind of good relationship with each other, "The waffles are awesome."

  
  



	3. Where Were You While We Were Getting Hig...

Chapter 3

Where Were You While We Were Getting High?

      Eric didn't know where he was going.  When he decided to take this journey in the middle of the night, he had to go through four boxes in the attic just to find the one address he had for Rich McAdam his past acquaintance and part time Coke buddy from when they worked in Kenosha.  The house on Arsenal Street 

was nothing more than a shack.  He had no honest memory of this house at all.  

But then how could he when he was in a drug-addicted state of mind?  It was just ten after twelve in the afternoon when Eric called Donna from the parking lot of a local McDonald's.  She was fine.  Megan was in fine and back in school.  He doubted everyone being "fine".  He knocked on the door, he wasn't even sure if they even lived here anymore.  It took one of those three minutes that felt like fifty years by the time the overweight middle-aged woman with the scraggly hair and torn clothes opened the door.  

'Tell me, I didn't f*** her!' 

"Hello,"

"Are you a bill collector or somethin'?"  She asked about to close the door, but Eric put his hand up to stop her.

"No.  I'm looking for a Rich McAdam."

"He don't live here anymore.  Wa-it, you're familiar—what's your name?"  She pulled her spotty glasses down the bridge of her nose.

"Eric.  Eric Forman."

She pulled him into the house and put her hands on his shoulders.  She was a lovely bouquet of Budweiser, nicotine, and general body odor.  Eric brushed her hands off his body.

"Please tell me you have something for a fix.  My boyfriend left two days ago, and I have no money---and---" She put her hands on his waist, "Fifty dollars for a BJ?"

"NO!"  

'Is this chemically dependant woman Mark's Mother?  Please to God no.'

"I've been told I give good h***."

There was an extremely offensive odor coming from the living room and Eric didn't want to go any further than the entry way.  He took her hands off his body again.  And just remembered the reason why he was here.  

"You didn't tell me your name, honey."  He figured why not get on her level?

"Marcia McAdam."   She was about a few years younger than Jackie.

He swallowed hard.  "Do you have a son named Mark?"  

"That's Judy's boy."  She pulled a cigarette from her bra, as Eric felt physically ill. 

"Judy?"

He had no recollection of any woman named Judy.  

"My s-sister.  Why do you want to know about, Mark?"

Eric took out his wallet and put a fifty-dollar bill in front of her nose and pulled it away when she saw her big, wide, eyes knowing that she could buy a lot of drugs with that.  Well, not a lot, but enough to last her a few days at least.  

"If you want the fifty dollars, Marcia, you will give me your sister's address."

"Okay—it's on North Dearborn.  Now give me the fifty, I have a knife if you don't."

Was that threat designed to scare him?  Eric mentally rolled as eyes as he handed Marcia the fifty dollars and she ran past him in most likelihood to find her dealer.  Although he was tempted to snoop around in this cockroach infested, destined to be condemned apartment, he knew the answers to Mark were not here.  He quickly went back to his car, thankful that it was still here and that no one had stolen his hubcaps, and he drove back to the Burger King, which was in a nicer neighborhood to ask for directions to Dearborn Street at the gas station, which was across the street.  He hoped his Mother Judy was nothing like his low life aunt Marcia.  All of this reminded him of Hyde's family situation.  Jesus Christ, he had acted exactly like Bud Hyde!  He wasn't some high school drop out finding out his girlfriend was pregnant, he was over fifty years old and his son was in his twenties.  'How could I be so f***ing stupid?'

'Why did I turn you away, Mark?   Why did I turn you away?'

Eric put the paper with the handwritten directions on it on the passenger side seat and decided to skip lunch, determined to find his son.

     Hyde walked into his Wife's salon with a dozen long stemmed roses with babies breath it was a much better and happier occasion than Valentine's Day.  

"Steven!  They're beautiful, thank you!"  She kissed him on the cheek and dumped the old flowers out of the vase of her desk and put the roses in.  

"Do you have any appointments?"  Hyde asked, sitting at the reception desk.

"No, I called all my afternoon's and told them we're going to close and I rescheduled them all for next week at ten percent off."

"That's good.  You didn't phone Donna did you?"

"No, I resisted—" She sat on his lap

"Good," he kissed her on the lips, foreshadowing what was to come tonight, "Oh, Jackie—you know I'm not good with words."

"Steven, you don't have to be.  Where is my darling Hunter?"

"At the hospital.  I'm going to pick up Hannah at school.  Do you want to ride with me or take your own car?"

"I can leave my car here, if you don't mind taking me to work tomorrow?"

He kissed her again on the lips, "I don't mind."

"We can't stop him from telling Megan."

"I know this, but for once, Jackie, I'd like us to have a just to have a slight moment of happiness without having to deal with the Eric's-got-a-son issue."

Hyde didn't mean to sound bitter, but he just wanted to have a family celebration without the dark cloud of Eric and Donna's situation lingering over them for a few private moments.  It wasn't too much to ask for, was it?  
  


          Eric was in the lobby of a cheap motel going through the white pages of the local telephone directory.  The book was missing a few pages and he hoped that there'd be at least one listing for a "McAdam" as long as it wasn't the degenerate aunt Marcia on Arsenal.  'Why didn't I just look up the number on anywho.com?'  Eric thought.  He sighed when he found only one listing.

McAdam, J and the address on N. Dearborn

What he didn't realize was that the phone directory was over two years old.

     A few hours later

     Megan was beyond relieved when her Mother just dropped her off after school because she had an appointment with some editor from Travel Wisconsin monthly.  The first thing she did after drinking a soda with sugar in it was to see if Hunter was online.  He wasn't online but she did receive a mysterious email from her fiancée.  

Dear Megan,

     Don't be mad, okay?  

Love, 

Hunter

'Okay, what did you do?'  What did Hunter mean by 'don't be mad'?   Megan opened up her email and asked him just that in response.  She thought about phoning Hunter but she didn't want to be the insecure wheelchair bound girlfriend, and she knew Hunter would NEVER think that, but it wouldn't stop herself from thinking exactly that.  She wondered how her father's 'business meeting' was going?  Could Donna not be any more condescending?  Why couldn't she just tell her sixteen-year-old daughter the truth?  Why couldn't Donna just say, "Your father went to look for his son."  Didn't she think Megan could handle it?  With her good mood gone Megan decided not to do her homework right now and just sulk Forman-style on her bed. 'Dear Megan, don't be mad, okay?' What DID her fiancée DO to have to say that to her in advance?  Did he give up on his physical therapy? No, Jackie and Hyde would never allow that.  Did he stop doing anything artistic? No, Megan didn't think so.  She couldn't imagine what it was but hoped whatever he did that it wouldn't be something that she would actually be mad over.  She hoped that her father could find Mark and that they could sort things out and have a real relationship.  But at the same time there was going to be a part of her that was going to miss being her Daddy's little girl.   She had a brother, you know what happens when there's a new addition to the family, the first one is always cast aside.  And although Megan knew both of her parents loved her (even Donna) she still was afraid of being in the shadows and having Mark being the apple of her father's eye.  She quickly fell asleep holding her pillow.  Hoping that whatever Hunter did that he felt he had to apologize for was minor and whatever happened between her father and Mark wouldn't ruin anything.  Now, she was starting to think with her father's twisted logic as she dreamt about how Eric would chase the monsters out from under her bed when she was a little girl.

            House

     This house looked nicer, granted it was a few steps up from the 'drug house', but with a little paint and better yard work this house could be quite nice.  Another door to knock on for Eric Forman the non-Avon lady.  He still had no recollection on a Judy McAdam.  How do you tell your own son that?  Even if you were hooked on Cocaine that you don't remember the probable one night stand that you had with his mother?  This time a little kid answered the door; she had blue eyes and red hair, which would spell trouble for the man destined to be with her in the future. She said through the screen door "that she couldn't talk to strangers."  and she yelled for her father. 

"We're not interested."

'Not even in the monkey suit and he thinks I'm still trying to sell him something—'

"I'm not selling anything.  I'm looking for a Judy McAdam, I was given this address by her sister."

The man looked like he was answering a double Jeopardy! question for one thousand dollars as his brain played ping-pong with the name that Eric gave him.

"Oh—why don't you come in, um-what's your name?"  His voice took on a serious tone.  

"Eric.  Eric Forman."

"Honey, who was at the door?"

'Another stranger to deal with?'  

"I'm Henry Black and that was my Wife Sabrina who is probably going to ask you if you'd like something to drink right about now?"

"Hello, I missed your name—"  
  
"Eric Forman."  He replied tiredly

"Would you like something to drink?"

'Yeah scotch and a Coke.'  "Just a glass of water, thanks."

And she went off in her merry little way almost reminding him of his mother.

"We purchased this house two years ago.  After the fire."

That's when Mrs. Black came in with the iced teas as she went back to her daughter in the kitchen.

"There was a fire?"  Eric asked quietly

"Did you know Judy McAdam?"

He really didn't want to get into it with a complete and total stranger, but Eric didn't want to lie either, especially if this man had any information on his son.

"Yes, a long time ago."  

It was the truth.

"There was a fire in her bedroom---"

"I can't bear to hear the rest.  Do you happen to know the whereabouts on her son, Mark?"   Eric wiped the condensation from the glass with his fingers.

"The last I heard, he was in the Army."

'My son was in the military?  Now that ought to make you proud Red.'

Eric took a drink of the water and stood up.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Black."  He extended his hand for him to shake.

They don't let you graduate with a business major without knowing how to do the power handshake.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't be of any more help, but if you'd like to leave me your phone number--"

"No, that won't be necessary, thanks."  Eric sadly replied as Henry walked him out of the house.

Eric got in his car and started to drive, but had no idea on where to go next.  With his aunt a psycho drug case living in squalor and his mother dead, maybe Mark decided not to return to Indy after all.  He couldn't hold his hunger any longer and went to a diner to get something to eat and to call Donna on his cell phone.

"Hello, Donna."  Eric asked as he opened up a sugar packet for his coffee

"Eric, you sound tired.  I take it you didn't find Mark."

"Yes on both counts."

"I could talk to old man Sal at the gas station maybe he knows where Mark was headed?"

Eric sighed, "No, Donna.  It's not necessary.  I had my chance twice to get to know my son and I blew it.  How's Megan?"

"She just woke up from a nap and is supposed to be doing her homework."

"Don't be too hard on her.  I think after I eat I'll start heading back—"

"Eric, you sound too tired to drive, I'd prefer it if you stay at a motel tonight so you can get some sleep."  Donna cautioned, she didn't want him to get into a car accident.

"I suppose that's a good idea.  I'll call you later tonight before bed.  Love you."

And despite all of the bad words that they ever spoke to each other, he meant it, he loved Donna very much, she was one of the few people in his life that he loved in the true sense of the word.   The waitress came by with his sandwich and he tried to be interested in the local newspaper, but it couldn't hold his interest.  Until his eye caught an ad for the Indianapolis Marion County public libraries book sale.

Library!  

He wrapped his sandwich in a napkin and asked the waitress who was walking by for his check.  Maybe, there was some hope after all.

        Donna set the table as she knew Megan always had trouble with her math homework and figured she would let her do it without interruption.  She knew her daughter didn't like her much and it hurt.  She only wanted Megan to be the young woman she knew she could be.  She didn't want her daughter to rely on a man for happiness and fulfillment when she had her whole life ahead of her.  It was nothing against Hunter Hyde; she just wished that Megan would get some different, better priorities.  She was about to take the potatoes out of the microwave when the phone rang.  The caller ID showed-Forman, E.

"Eric?  What's wrong?"  

"My car died!  I'm waiting for the auto club to send a tow truck.  I was just on my way to the library to do some research and the engine just made a sputtering noise and died."

"Oh—I'm sorry."

"The truck is coming down the road, so I better let you go."  
  
"Talk to you later, Eric."

"Goodbye, Donna—tell Megan to call me if she needs any help with her math."

"Will do.  Love you and it's going to work out Eric, I promise."

"I love you, too."  

He didn't know how Donna could be so sure about it "working out".  But he had to come face to face with the fact that he might never see his son again.  And it was all his fault.

       A half hour later

     Eric needed a new engine for his car and it wasn't a matter of price because he and Donna were in the 'Advantage Plus' plan that sort of resembled the medical insurance concept, you show your card and depending on the services needed and if you qualified the auto club could pay for the whole thing or at the very least part of the costs.   It was worth the few extra dollars just in case you were stuck in a garage in Indianapolis, when where you wanted to be was in the public library to look up information that could lead you to the whereabouts of your own son.  He sat in the small waiting room with the fake wood paneling walls as the Playmate of the Year calendar looked down at him.  Nice rack, but still—Eric put the newspaper down and went to the water cooler.  He hated those pointy paper cups.  He drank the cool water and crushed the paper cup before throwing it in the wastebasket.  A man in his thirties came in from the garage to tell Eric it would be awhile so if he wanted to grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants within walking distance it would be the time to do so.

"No, it's okay, I can wait."

"Wow—" the mechanic started to say

"What?" Eric asked

Then the guy was embarrassed over what he was thinking and excused himself to go back into the garage.

Eric shrugged his shoulders and sat back down on the uncomfortable black plastic backed chair.  He finished his sandwich while he was waiting for the tow truck so he wasn't hungry, but he figured why not take a walk or two around the block to clear his head?   It happened that quickly, here was Eric saddened that he couldn't go to the library until his car got fixed and maybe by then the police would be closed and the next thing he knew he saw the son that he had spent all day looking for leaning against the back wall smoking a cigarette when he finished his walk through the block going through the alley instead of walking the front sidewalks.   Mark didn't see him and Eric didn't want to startle him, but he stood there for a moment just to soak his appearance in.  He was wearing a sleeveless white t-shirt that was obviously covered with dirt, grime, motor oil, and general car grease, his jeans were loose but not baggy as it was probably easier to slide in and out from under cars that way, and he wore brown work boots.  Eric took a deep breath not knowing what was going to be in store for.  He kept a safe distance and knew he was going to have to speak.

"Hello, Mark."  

He dropped his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it with his boot.  Mark looked at him with a my eyes are deceiving me face.  

"Pardon me," he turned to his side and putting his hand on the small door knob next to the double garage doors that was written in yellow paint  'Fogarty's Auto Repair-Employees Only'  "While I DON'T entertain your guilty phase."

"Mark---" Eric softly replied, but he his son just ignored him and went back inside the employee's entrance.  

'F***.'

He didn't want to go through the private entrance and was glad that his phone rang to stop him from doing just that.  He didn't even bother to look at the caller ID.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, Megan, are you still having trouble with your math?"

"Yeah, are you busy?"

"No, lollipop," Eric sighed as he started the walk back to the front of the garage, "Is it fractions again?"

"No.  Word problems."

"Okay, read the first one to me."

Megan read the first word problem to her father as Eric went to the counter and grabbed a pencil and the back of a pizza menu that was left near the cash register.  There was no sign of Mark through the little window.   

"I don't get it, Dad" Megan sighed when she finished reading the problem. 

"The answer is 2.5 miles."  

"You aren't supposed to tell me the answers!"   She could feel this weird tension and she didn't know where it was coming from.

Mark came through the front door cleaned up with the rubber smelling pink glob grease remover and Lava soap, wearing a red t-shirt that said Luigi's Pizza on it.  

He didn't want to come out to the front entrance knowing that his father was out here but he had no choice.  

"Megan, can I put you on hold for a minute?  Okay.  Mark—please," He put his phone down on the counter.

He tried to hug him thinking that was the reason for all of this in the first place. When he made the first mistake of rejecting his son's embrace.  

["I know this is going to sound corny—but may I hug you—just once?"]

"Now, YOU know what it feels like."  Mark did not hug his father back.

He wasted no time in exiting the premises and going to the sanctuary of his car.

Eric's heart sank to the floor as he picked up his phone.  He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Megan, I'll help you with your math when I get home, I promise, can you do me a favor and put your mom on the phone?"

"Are you okay, Daddy?"

"I'm fine."

'No, Daddy—don't lie to me, like SHE does---Daddy—NO!'

"Okay.  I'll talk to you later.  L-love you.  Hold on, while I get mom."

"I love you, too, baby."

"Hello, Eric?"  Donna came to the phone about two minutes later.

"I found my son," Eric let one tear slowly fall down his face, "and Donna, he wants NOTHING to do with me."

"Oh, honey, I'm SO sorry—what happened?"

"He works at the garage that they towed my car to and when I hugged him, he rejected me the way I rejected him and told me that now I know what it feels like and he left.  As soon as my car is ready I'm coming home."

"Eric, I don't want you driving tired and stressed, stay at the motel like you planned."

"I'll be okay—"

"Eric."  Donna replied sharply

"Oh, all right," he sighed, "Remind Megan that I love her, I think she's mad at me, because I didn't go through all of her math problems with her."

"I will."

"I love you, Donna, I really messed things up.  Once a dumbass always a dumbass."

"Don't put yourself down, Eric.  You need to get some rest.  It'll be better in the morning.  I love you, too."

She hung up and Eric closed the phone.  The thirtysomething mechanic came back out to tell Eric that his car was ready, now he knew whom he was.  He was Mark's father.  

"Your car is ready and your auto club paid sixty percent."

Eric tiredly took out his wallet and pulled out his Visa card.  

"I know it's not my place, Mr. Forman," the mechanic put the card through the credit card machine, "But Mark DOES want to know you.  Just give him time."

Eric signed his receipt on the small computer screen with the silver electronic pen, "Thanks for the heads up," he was sick of others trying to give him well meaning advice, "Do you happen to know a cheap motel around here for the night?"

"Yeah, the Red Roof Inn, it's just around the corner."

"Thanks."  

The man gave him his car keys, "You can get your car in the garage.  Oh, here's your receipt."  He ripped it off the printer and gave Eric the pink copy.

"Thanks."  Eric replied again like a robot.  

All of those hours trying to find Mark and learning a little bit about in the process and it was over with in ten awkward minutes.  He didn't say anything else as he put his keys in his car and left the garage.   He was convinced that he would never see his son again as he parked in the lot of the moderately priced Red Roof Inn.  He was so tired at the moment that he felt he could sleep forever.

Eric locked his car and went to the office to register for a place to sleep for the night.  As soon as he got to his room #221—he fell asleep the moment after he took off his shoes and his head hit the extra firm pillow. His mind dreaming of the baseballs that were never tossed, dreaming of the advice about girls that was never given, and dreaming of the hugs that were never returned.

'I love you, Mark, and I'm very sorry.'


	4. Where Did It All Go Wrong?

Chapter 4

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

     (same night as the end of the last chapter)

     The motel room was pitch black at two forty five in the morning with the exception of the huge red numbers coming from the digital clock on the end table as Eric opened up one sleepy eye.  It was a combination of his usual restless sleep and the loud thumping bass beats coming from the next room.  You know you are old when loud parties start to annoy you.  The room was also hot.  He turned on the light as he rubbed his eyes and went to the joint air conditioner/heating unit.  No wonder.  The automatic shut off wasn't working and 

the temperature control jumped from 70 to 80!   He turned the heater off, put the room card key in his jeans pocket, put his shoes back on, grabbed his phone off the dresser, and needed to call his Wife outside.  Eric walked to where the wooden stairwell was and sat on the middle steps.  He hoped Donna wouldn't be too angry at getting a call from him at three in the morning.

"e-eric," Donna mumbled into her pillow, "y-you better not be driving."

"I can't sleep."  

"So you figured misery loves company?"

"Somewhat.  Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad."

Eric stood up to walk down the stairs to get better reception.  His heart started to beat nervously.

"Donna!  Oh my God,"

"What is it?"

"I don't want him to see me."  He went back to the stairs, sitting on the third one.

"Who, Eric?  Mark?"

"He's delivering pizzas."

That explained the t-shirt he had on earlier.  His son was STILL delivering pizzas at three in the morning?  

"Why don't you want him to see you?"

"Because, I don't know—I don't want him to think I'm stalking him."

Mark must have taken the stairway by the offices because they didn't come in contact with each other or maybe those pizzas weren't for the annoying party in the room next to his?

"That's ridiculous.  You're staying at the motel, it's not like you followed him.  Say something before he leaves."

"Donna—"

"Eric!  I'll tell you what; I'll stay here on the phone with you, okay?  Stand by his car."

"What if this alienates him more?"  Eric had butterflies in his stomach the size of X-Wing fighters.

"Are you walking to his car, Eric?"

"Yes."

"Take a deep breath, it'll be okay."

"I hope you are right, Donna.  How is Megan doing?"

"She's sleeping now—but she was very quiet tonight, and I didn't want to pry and have her accuse me of interfering in her life."

"Donna, I'll call you back—"  

"What are you doing here?"  Mark asked in a monotone voice carrying two empty red insulated pizza carriers

Eric coughed and he felt his knees buckle.  "I'm staying at the motel for the night."

"Good for you."

"Mark, I'm very sorry—"  
  
"Don't even try it, Eric.  I'm not interested in what you have to say.  Now get off my car so I can leave."

Eric didn't know what to do other than move his body off the car.  

"If you want to—"

Mark put his key in the ignition and purposely went over the speed limit to get away from his father.

"talk, you know where to find me."  Eric finished the sentence and took out his phone about to call Donna back, but then he changed his mind.

Eric walked back up the stairs to go back to his room.  Now, naturally the room was too cold.  He took his shoes off resisting the urge to throw them against the wall.  He turned the ringer off his phone and put it on the end table as he lie back down in the bed, pulling the covers up to his neck, letting his regrets keep him warm for the night.

     Next Day

     7AM in Pennsylvania

         "Are you almost ready for school?"  Hyde gently knocked on the closed bathroom door.

"Yes, Dad."  Hunter replied

He was happy that he was going to surprise Megan this weekend, when he asked his parents if they wouldn't mind using some of their frequent flier miles.  She wasn't answering his emails and he knew it was only because of the cryptic one he sent her as the reason why. He wished he worded it better. 

"Steven, it's Eric on the phone for you."   Jackie swirled in with the phone and kiss for her Husband to tell him to 'be nice' as she went to see what was keeping Hannah.

"I knew this call was going to come sooner or later, Forman."  Hyde walked into his and Jackie's bedroom and closed the door.

"I KNOW that I f***ed up and hurt my son, I don't need you to remind me of that fact."

"Oh, I think you do.  Were YOU ever abandoned by your parents?"

"No. Why did you ask a question that you all ready know the answer to?  Christ, Hyde.  I came to you for help.  Now will you just listen to what I have to say---"?

Hyde sighed.  Of course, he would help his (debatable) best friend; he knew how PAINFUL it was to be abandoned by both of his parents.  And he didn't want this Mark boy to have to go through a lifelong pain like he did.  Until all the pieces started to click together when he and Jackie finally married, adopted Tiffany, and the twins were born.  

"Donna meant well, but she was wrong to tell you that.  First and foremost, go home today—resist any urges to visit him at the garage, okay?  Give the kid some space.  He's probably very confused."  Hyde replied in the gentlest way possible

"But what if he doesn't come around?"

'Man, you don't f***ing get it? Do you?'  "Then you'll just have to accept that."

"But—"

"No buts Forman.  Step one, give the kid some space."

"I don't like that advice."   Eric admitted

"Well, then you shouldn't have asked for it in the first place.  And before I hang up on you, Hunter wants to surprise Megan this weekend, so make sure she's home.  Goodbye, Forman."

"Nice talking to you too, Hyde."  Eric replied to the dial tone. 

He decided to call Donna to apologize for not calling her back last night and to tell her that he would be coming home this afternoon.

Hyde might have been partly right, but it was only right to tell Mark to his face that he would be giving him 'some space', so he wouldn't think that he was ignoring him.

Eric thought as he phoned Donna that maybe Mark would not need the requisite space.  

'Who am I kidding?'

30 Minutes later

     Donna was understanding that Eric didn't call her back like he said he would earlier this morning, however she wasn't all that understanding that Hyde didn't like her advice.  The last thing Eric needed was to lose focus on the situation. He took a bath in that godforsaken small tub which was why whenever they stayed any place they had to make sure the bathrooms were handicapped accessible for Megan.  He quickly brushed his teeth, got dressed, and checked out.  He changed his mind for some reason and was on the interstate and then he changed it back and drove for fifteen minutes out of his way just to get back to the garage.  He almost hoped that Mark wasn't in and that he could leave a note for him, because he was out very late last night delivering pizzas. 

He could leave a note for him and that might be easier for all concerned.  Eric walked in as the little bell that was attached to the door rang.  No one was in the front.  

"May I h---oh, it's you.  You can't take a hint can you?"  Mark started to go back to the garage

"Mark, I just wanted you to know that I'll give you your space, if that's what you want.  I'm going back to Wisconsin now.  If you want to talk, you know where to reach me."

Mark kept his back to Eric and his hand on the doorknob to go back into the garage.

"You said your peace now go."  Mark replied as he opened the door leaving Eric alone.

"I'm sorry son, you have to believe me."  Eric replied in a whisper, it was going to be a long drive back to Point Place. 

    Home

     Nothing used to make Megan happier than when her Dad came home from a business trip.  But now it was all mixed with lies and cover-ups.  If her father was on a business trip how come he didn't have his briefcase with him?  He only had his carryon bag.  She wanted to take another nap, but Donna said she was sleeping in the afternoon too much and did the old doctor threat.  And if her father was just on a routine business trip, how come he looked so sad when he walked through the door?  

"Hi, lollipop," Eric dropped his carryon bag on the floor and hugged his daughter, "I missed you, Megan."

"I missed you, too, Dad.  How was your business trip?"

'Please don't lie to me, again.'

"All right, sweetie," He kissed her on the cheek. "I can help you with your math later."

Then he and Donna walked up the stairs and Megan was angry with Hunter because she didn't like that mysterious email that he wrote her so she was punishing him by not logging on at all.  And she didn't phone him, because she wanted him to phone first, and it was starting to p*** her off when he wasn't calling her.  She didn't know what that email meant about her not to be angry, but it wasn't working because she was getting to just that feeling.  She could only imagine what her parents weren't sharing with her upstairs.  Screw them ALL, Megan decided, if she wanted to take an afternoon nap after school then she was going to take an afternoon nap.  They didn't own her.

       "I'm so tired------" Eric loved the feel of being back in his own bed.  

"You did all that you could, Eric."  Donna took off her shoes and decided if anyone needed a back massage at this moment it would have been her Husband.

"No, Donna—Oh, that feels good---I don't know what to do next?  How much space do I give him?"

"I can't believe Hyde said my advice to you was wrong.  You needed to talk to Mark this morning, running away and hiding would not have been a good option."

"You have to be nice this weekend because Hunter is coming over this weekend, he wants to surprise Megan."

His little girl looked so sad earlier.  He was going to have to talk to her later. 

"Oh, well, I'm not afraid to tell Hyde so."

"Don't," Eric tried to keep himself awake by blinking his eyes, "Slee-p."

Donna kissed his neck as she gently undid herself from his body.  She covered him up with a blanket noticing that the once sweet Mama's Boy by default face seemed to age overnight by a deep pain that might never be rectified. She could only hope and pray now that the ball was in Mark's court that he would actually do something positive with it.

            Megan Snaps

     All Megan wanted to do was eat her supper, finish her homework, and sulk about Hunter and her parents until she fell into a teary eyed sleep.  

"Megan, did YOU take ANOTHER nap before supper again?"  Donna asked, eating her brown rice.

"What if I did?"  she asked tiredly

"Are you okay, lollipop?"   Eric asked, trying to eat, as he had nothing all day, not even anything to drink.  But he didn't have much of an appetite.

"Dad! STOP calling me THAT!  I'm sixteen years old."

And she saw the hurt in her father's eyes knowing that it wasn't going well between him and Mark and she wanted to take the words back.

"Megan, if you are only going to be rude you can leave the table."  Donna said

'Daddy, I'm sorry.'

"Well, I wouldn't be rude if you people didn't lie to me in the first place."  

Megan wanted to cry herself and wheeled herself to her bedroom as fast as her chair could take her.

Eric stood up to help Donna clear the table.

"I am quite the father of the year, aren't I?"

Donna put her arms around her Husband and gave him a hug and a kiss on the lips.

"Go talk to Megan, I'll take care of the dishes."

Eric walked to Megan's room and found her crying in her wheelchair, she didn't even make it to her bed.

"Megan," Eric kneeled down to hug her, "What's wrong?"

"You're not the same, Daddy."

It took him awhile to register what she was getting at as he pulled a chair next to her wheelchair so that they could sit next to each other and talk.

"I was never perfect.  I'm only human.  But I love you very much."

"If you love me Dad, then why did YOU lie to me?  You didn't go on a business trip, you went to find Mark."

"Did your Mother tell you?"

She put her hands through her hair.  "No!  I'm not stupid."

"I'm sorry.  Your mother and I didn't want you to worry about the situation."

He handed her a box of tissues so she could wipe her own tears away.

"I think that's what ruined it the first time between you and Mark," Megan hoped she wasn't crossing a line and she never had to worry about that with her father before, "You and mom don't have to protect me so much."

"You really aren't my little girl anymore."    He tried letting go once before and he couldn't; now he knew he had to let her go even more or she would leave them at eighteen never to be heard from again.

"I still like being your little girl—sometimes.  I know you made a mistake, Dad, but if Mark never wants to know you then it's his loss."

He tried to smile, "I love you, lol—Megan."

He hugged her and she hugged him BACK, he almost was forgot what that felt like.

"I love you too, Daddy, you can call me lollipop, sometimes—I'm sorry for snapping at the table, I know you've had a rough two days."

"We're all entitled to snap occasionally," He kissed her on the cheek, "Now what would make me happy is if you and your mom would get along better, because she loves you, too."

"I know—but we disagree on so many things."

"You've realized that I'm not Superman, it would be a great place to start if you realized your mother wasn't the Wicked Witch of the West, either.  We're all human beings trying to do our bests."

"I know—I need to finish my homework."

Eric smiled, "Do you need any help?"

"No, not right now."

"Okay," He put the desk chair against the wall, "See you later, Megan."

"Later, Dad."

It seemed like only yesterday she was this helpless baby who clung to him, but despite her handicaps she was a smart and well-adjusted young woman.  Who didn't need her parents in the way while she carved out her adult life.  He watched her for a few seconds before walking back up the ramp, it was time to cut the strings and let her fly before she started to resent him the way Mark did.  They really were two sides of the same coin, Megan was a result of a former Coke user who got the chance to finally be a parent by adopting her, the drug addicted baby and Mark was the result of probably a hazy, powder filled one night stand that he did not remember.  He walked up the ramp and into the kitchen as Donna turned the dishwasher on.

"Is Megan all right?"  she asked

"She's grown up, Donna, I don't want to let her go—and now I understand how difficult it was for my mother to let ME go, but I know I have to.  She's a young woman.  It's time to treat her as such."

"Do you want tea or coffee?"

"Neither," he went to the refrigerator and took out a bottled water, "Did you drop off your article for Travel Wisconsin?"

"Yeah," she poured herself a cup of tea and sat across from him at the kitchen table, "Eric, my heart has not been in writing for a very long time."

"Why don't you take a break then?"

"Because between your job and mine we barely make it.  We don't have the money that Jackie has, if it weren't for Hyde she'd be spending her time between four houses."

"Donna, if you are burned out from writing, maybe you should look for another job?"

"I'm too old to start something brand new—"

"The Donna I know wouldn't use age as an excuse."

"Eric take a look in the mirror, you aren't young anymore, either."

'No fight.  I'm too tired to do the Donna vs. Eric thing tonight.'

The phone rang and Eric nearly jumped out of his skin.  Could it be?  Could it be Mark?  

"Hello?"

"Hi, Eric, put Donna on please."  

He sighed, "It's Jackie for you, I need to check my business email."  Eric took his bottled water after he handed Donna the telephone.

"Hello," the computer voice said, "You have 90 new messages."

Eric turned the volume off, "Shut up."

He only had one thought on his mind as he went through his business email with only a faint interest, ('join the club and get in line Donna, you're not the only one with a career that isn't fulfilling.') and that was would the time EVER come that his son would want a relationship with him?  And if Mark never did want to know him ever again was Hyde right that he'd have no choice but to accept it?

Eric couldn't work like this so he logged off his computer and went upstairs to read a book half-heartedly before going to bed.  Hoping that tomorrow for the sake of both of them would be the day that Mark would throw it back to him.

  
  



	5. All You Need Is Love

Chapter 5

All You Need Is Love

---A Thursday night in Wisconsin---

      Eric tried not to dwell that he wasn't hearing from his son.  Maybe, he was going to have accept the fact that he rejected him twice and now he had to pay the consequences of being "too little, too late".  To visit Mark again or to try to look up a phone number or email would definitely alienate him more.  There was nothing left to do but plod on with his life.  When Megan went into her room to work on her homework assignment, Eric went to his desk and took out a brown envelope, walked into the kitchen, and handed it to Donna. 

"What's this?"  Donna asked, letting the dishwasher DO the work.

"Why don't you open it and see?"  Eric let out a small smile. What else could he do?

"Plane tickets to Chicago?"    They could have just driven there, it would have been easier, but she loved her Husband for having the gesture.

"We BOTH need a break, Donna, and our plane leaves in two hours, so let's pack."

"When did you decide this, Eric?"

"Yesterday,"  

"I could do with a weekend getaway, BUT—"

"No buts—"

"Are you forgetting our daughter?"

"Either Hyde or Jackie will be here with Hunter, they can look after Megan. —Besides, didn't we decide we were going start treating her like an adult?"

"Okay," she kissed him on the cheek, "There's a play at the Shubert that I've wanted to see.  Good idea, Eric," she slapped him on the rear.

"You act like I rarely have them."

"Why don't you tell Megan—"?

"I can't, it'll ruin the surprise, remember?"

"Well, you still have to tell her we're going away for the weekend," Donna sighed, "I'm sure she'll be fine by herself for one night."

But Donna wasn't worried about that so much as she was about her not being here to supervise her daughter for Hunter's arrival.  And what did he want to surprise Megan with?  Her daughter was quite moody lately and it wasn't just their 'normal' mother-daughter angst either, she knew it had everything to do with Hunter, but she didn't want to argue with Megan over this so she just refrained from discussing it with her.  

"And I thought I couldn't let go?"  Eric said

"I'll start on your packing, too, we don't want to miss our flight."  

The more Donna thought about it, the more she liked the idea of getting away. 

It would be nice to have dinner, see a play, and other nighttime activities without 

any interruptions.  Donna needed to get out of her career funk and Eric needed to NOT think about his son for a few hours at least. That was the plan.

       Megan was happy for a short second the moment that Eric and Donna threw their suitcases in the car and left for Chicago but then she was upset because she hadn't checked her email since she got that strange one from Hunter and for someone who was supposed to love her and wanted to be married to her was not picking up a telephone to call her.  Megan was too stubborn to put on her computer and check her email.  She did want to call him, but again was too inflexible.  'Don't be mad?'  He asked her, well f*** that! She was mad!  She couldn't pig out on ice cream and didn't care to eat the organic vanilla frozen yogurt that her mom had in the freezer.  Her homework was done and she was already in her sleeping clothes, so she figured she might as well take off her hearing aid and her glasses and go to sleep.  Hunter, she decided, was going to make the first move.  Why should she have to?

Hours later at the Monaco hotel

       Donna did not feel guilty leaving her daughter alone in the house as she enjoyed a hot bubble bath with the overpriced blue bubbles that Jackie gave her as a sample because she knew Donna only bought her beauty supplies in the drugstore.  She sent Eric out to try and get tickets for "Love Affair" it was a play loosely based on the Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn union, where the man couldn't leave his Wife to be with the woman he loved.  She didn't care if Eric didn't want to sit through it, he didn't say, either way, she wanted to see the play and that was that.  

"Hi, Donna," Eric walked in the bathroom

"Eric, don't you knock?"

He grabbed the door and tapped it with his fist.  "Happy?  I got the tickets," he 

bent down to kiss her wet lips.

"Hmm—they're for tomorrow night, tonight's show already started by the time we arrived."

"That's fine," she lightly splashed him 

"Well," Eric started to take off his shirt, "Do you want any company in there?"

"Only if you are up for it," Donna teased, like she used to

"I've never had that problem, lucky for you, Donna—" Eric started to take off his belt.

"No, I'd say that was lucky for you,"

Welcome to those happy golden years.

     The Visitor

       Hunter was the recipient of some very fortunate luck when his and Hannah's school had a water main break making him able to see Megan on Thursday night instead of Friday.  Hyde could've killed Forman for not setting the controls on the garage door panel so he could park in there instead of in the driveway.  He probably was in the 'get Donna's panties' off mode.  He couldn't fault him for that too much, as he always wanted to get Jackie in that state as often as possible.  

"All the lights are off, except for the back porch light."  Hunter observed getting Hyde out of his impure thoughts.

"Donna left the key in the flower pot by the back door."

"I hope Megan's okay?"  Hunter asked softly

"Hunter, you've been more quiet than usual for awhile and normally I respect your privacy, but is there something that you want to tell me?"

Hunter looked at his father, he didn't want to lie to him, but what could he do, it was basically all his and his mother's fault anyway.

"No, I'm fine, Dad." 

'I just want to see my fiancée, if you don't mind.'

'Megan, don't be mad? I'm such a jerk!'

           Megan heard a pounding sound coming from upstairs.  Did Donna and Eric have a fight and came home so she could witness it?  She put her hearing aid on, but snuggled back into the covers as she forced herself to go back to sleep.  More thumping from upstairs and they didn't sound like her mother's and father's movements.  Was it a burglar?  Maybe, it was Mark breaking and entering again.  She was a little scared but figured as long as the noises stayed upstairs and didn't come down in her basement bedroom she would be okay.   As soon as Megan thought that she heard a thump and click sound on her ramp and was slightly frightened. 

'Daddy—'

"Megan, are you up?"  

'Hunter?'  

"Hunter!  I have no desire to talk to you."  She stayed with her back facing him.

He gently turned her light dial up a notch, not that her room wasn't lit with the glow of her computer, nightlights, and the moonshine coming from the windows.

"Megan, I know I sent you a confusing email, I'm sorry, but—I—can you put your glasses on and turn around, please?"

"No."

"You are very stubborn."

"Good!"

"You have to—"

"Oh, Hunter, I don't have to DO anything."

"You know I love you---"

"Love is not sending cryptic emails and THEN not even phoning me."

"Say it to my face."  He had to get her to turn around somehow.

"Fine!  Then will you leave me alone?"

"If that's what you want, Megan."

She turned her body around and put on her tap light as she reached for her glasses.

"Hunter!"   She was ready to jump out of the bed and into her wheelchair

"Surprise," He was out of his wheelchair and holding a metal cane.

He sat next to her on the bed.

"One kiss—then you better start explaining."

Hunter put his arms around Megan and pulled her to him for one perfect kiss.

"Love you."

"That's nice.  Explain."

"Before you left to go back home, when we were lying together in bed, I felt my right leg shiver.  But nothing else happened until later when I was in math class and I started getting the feelings back in my legs. —And I wanted to tell you, Megan, you have to believe me, but I overheard Hyde and Jackie wanting to keep it private because of all the Mark stuff that's going on with your Dad.  They DIDN'T tell me I couldn't tell you, but I figured, I didn't want to tell you over the phone or in an email, I wanted to tell you in person—and I begged my Dad if I could come visit you ---And---."

"Shut up, Hunter," she kissed him again, "I love you, too.  I should've known it was PARENTAL cr**."

She hugged him tight.  It made her feel jubilant that he was out of his wheelchair.  

"You don't know how bad I felt, Megan," Hunter spoke when they finished their kiss, "When you weren't answering my emails, and I wanted to call you too, but I didn't want to ruin the surprise for you."

"Kids," Hyde came down the ramp, "Hey, Megan."

"Hi, Hyde."

"I got a phone call from a band that I produced around here a few years ago and well the moral is never promise anyone a favor when you are drunk.  I'll be back in a few hours.  I left money for you on the table if you need it."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Bye."  Megan waved as they watched Hyde leave through the back door and walk back up the ramp where the stairs used to be.

"Hunter," Megan asked, when she saw the bright lights of the Hyde mobile leave the Forman residence, "Let's make love."

     Donna rested her head on Eric's chest as they lie in the soft sheets with the non-gender threatening small blue floral pattern.

"That was quite good," Donna whispered into his shoulder.

"Only quite good?"  Eric asked, willing to play along

"Tell your friend not to be so insecure."

"What friend?"  Eric asked

Donna lifted the sheet up and proceeded to look downward; Eric put the sheet back down on top of them.

"Ha ha, Donna.  Do you want the big blanket that we threw on the floor during our top notch make love session?"  

"No, sweetie, you're enough," Donna snuggled closer

Eric hummed the theme from the Twilight Zone.

"What's your problem now?"

"Do I have to wait for the gauntlet to drop?"

"What's a gauntlet?"  she asked him, remembering the first time he said that to her at the Hub a zillion years ago when she wrote the story of Derek and Wanda from Point Upon the Place.

"A glove worn with medieval armor to protect the hand or to an open challenge.  I went to college and everything!"  he mocked shock while sticking out his tongue at his Wife.

"Ooh, are you sure you didn't get that from the Reader's Digest?"

"You are SO going to get it, Donna."  he replied as if he were seventeen again.

"Not if you get it first, Eric!"    She knew exactly where all of his ticklish spots were and she was not afraid to do it.

For the first time in a long while Donna felt younger than her actual age, too bad it wasn't going to last.

     "W-what?"  Hunter dropped his cane out of his hands.

"Aww, you're so cute!  I'm going to the bathroom and you are going to put blankets and pillows on the floor, we're going to 'Do It'."  
  
"Are you really ready, Megan?"  Hunter asked with a lump in his throat

"Yes, Hunter, I am, ready.  The question is ARE YOU?"  she kissed him on the lips before getting into her wheelchair.

'I'm ready.  I am. No, I'm not-but I love her—'

Indy

           God, he was certifiably insane! Mark allowed himself one small smile on the matter as he was the only one in the pizza place and able to use the manager's computer while the new kid had to make the deliveries.    Ten thousand posts on the one Star Wars forum alone, granted there were few recent entries and he knew why, but his father was such a nerd!  He was bored and figured he would put the name "Eric Forman" in a search engine box to see what came up and that's where he found some of the Star Wars forum messages, his companies website, and finally something that caught his eye—

AdoptionCircle on Yahoogroups  

Mark clicked on it, as the archive was available for public reading.  Only the member's list was for moderator's only to allow for lurkers.  It was a discussion list for parents who adopted special needs children.  There was a website link on the main page for the older posts that the server wouldn't archive due to the volume so the people on the list donated money so the moderator could make a separate website to house all of the old messages.  He clicked on a random year and put Eric's name in quotes in the search box and then hit the enter key.  

---Donna and I are pleased with Megan's progress.  The doctor's didn't hold much hope for our daughter.  They like to keep pointing out that she almost died numerous times.  I'd rather they focus on her being alive instead of harboring over the fact she "almost died".  She's going to be five years old tomorrow, her speech has improved greatly since she started Pre School and Donna and I also take her to another speech therapist on our own time and money.  She's a very optimistic and bright child. ---

Mark clicked on the back button and picked another year and searched Eric's name again.

---It hurts me when people on the street only see my daughter's wheelchair.  It's a form of bigotry that I wish I could erase from the world.  When Megan cries in my arms and asks me "Why are people like that, Daddy?"  I don't know what to say to her to make it all better. —

The phone rang, no doubt the typical frat party was running late and the jocks needed refueling.  Mark let his cigarette burn in the ashtray as he left the computer screen up.  One thing was for certain Eric Forman seemed like a caring father.

'Do I let you in, Eric?'

      Megan came out of her bathroom to find her comforter on the floor complete with six fluffy pillows as Hunter found two candles and put them on her desk.

"Hunter, it's beautiful, the matches are upstairs in the utility drawer."

"No, Megan, you are beautiful," he walked over to her with his cane and kissed her on the lips, "I'll get the matches.  Are you sure, you're ready?"

"Yes, Hunter," She put her hand on his shoulder, "I've never been more ready."

When Hunter was safely up the ramp, Megan got out of her wheelchair and 

permitted herself to 'fall' on the floor.  She was nervous, but tried not to show it, even to herself, but they needed to get rid of the first time stigma.  Not just for the reasons that they loved each other, but they needed to advance to the next level. The level that tells the parents to STOP interfering, whether intentional or not, STOP interfering.  She put her perfume on when she was in the bathroom.  She undid her clothing quickly and threw it in a pile on the floor until she was in her bra and panties.  She covered her body with the top sheet as Hunter came down the stairs slowly but surely.  The cane was turning her on, and she didn't quite know exactly why.

"Megan," he saw her sleep clothing in a pile and got incredibly nervous, "I-I found the matches."

"Good," she smiled, "Light the candles."

Megan watched, as Hunter had to light three matches to get one to light.  

"There," he said as he turned off her light, "You look very beautiful."

She smiled, "Thank you.  Would you mind getting closer?"  

Hunter Hyde let out a small laugh as he took off his trainers before gently putting himself on top of Megan.

"Can I ask why you took off all your clothes except your underwear?  I thought that to be my duty."  He whispered

"To save time, foreplay's important, but—Hunter, just kiss me all ready."

Hunter put his hands on Megan's shoulders and kissed her deeply, she didn't waste any time ramming her tongue in his mouth, the rhythm was easy, as they've done this before.  She undid the buttons on his yellow shirt with the white swirly stripes.  

"Closer," she whispered, then she got nervous as to how they were going to get into position, nature would have to kick in and take care of things she hoped, as she led his arm to the back of her bra strap.  

"A-re you sure?"  Hunter asked

"Yes!"  

She wanted to remind him that he did take her bra off when the parents caught them on the sofa but she didn't want to spend the time talking.

"Would it be easier for you to be sitting up?"  Hunter asked like a surgeon in the middle of an operation.

"I don't know," Megan replied breathlessly, "I've never made love before."

"Neither have I."  He undid her bra strap as he hoped this evening would be romantic for the both of them.

      Eric woke up in the middle of the night, when he didn't feel Donna's presence in the firm hotel bed next to him.   He saw the light coming from the bottom of the bathroom door and heard the water running.  But what he didn't know was that Donna sitting on the edge of the bathtub crying.  Donna splashed her face with the cool water before drying her face with the plain white cotton towel.  She flushed the toilet and washed her hands.  

"I love you, Eric."  Donna snuggled up to him tight

"I love you, too, Donna, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just cold, did that heater finally kick on?  Because I definitely do not feel it."

He kissed her on the lips and it soothed her soul.

"I'll check the heater,"

"No, Eric, stay in bed next to me.  We can warm each other up."

"Are you sure you are all right, Donna?"

"Yes.  Are you ready for another roll in the hay my sexy Jedi Knight?"

'Why is she using Star Wars terms?'

"You are changing the subject, Donna.  What is it?"  Eric gently asked

Donna rested her head on his chest like she did hours ago.

"I found a lump on my breast,"  

"WHAT?"

"It wasn't there when I was in the bath—I noticed it just now—it's probably nothing."

"We're leaving now, I want you to see a doctor as soon as possible."  He started to get out of the bed, but Donna pushed him back down.

"No, Eric—I want to see the play and go out to dinner tomorrow night."

"Donna," he sighed, "Okay, but I want you to see the doctor on Monday morning."  

"I will," she kissed him on the cheek and let out a small yawn, "For now will you hold me?"

"You never have to ask. I will always hold you, Donna."  Eric whispered trying not to think of the "C" word.  

Eric Forman could NOT live on this Earth anymore if Donna was not there beside him. 

"Goodnight," Donna said while she fell asleep in her Husband's arms five minutes later.

"Goodnight, my beautiful Donna, and don't you worry, you're going to be just fine."     Eric kissed her head, but he could not sleep.

Now it was Eric's turn to cry.


	6. Breakdowns, Banishments, and Beginnings

Chapter 6

Breakdowns, Banishments, and Beginnings

(same weekend as chapter 5)

     Eric was worried as he watched Donna sleep on Friday morning at eight o'clock, he already took a shower and got dressed, trying to block what Donna told him out of his mind.  There was a lump on her breast?  Was it normal for women to have lumps that were not cancerous?  He couldn't concentrate on the free newspaper and the coffee was too strong.  There was only one thing he wanted to do, take off his shoes, and slide back in the bed next to his Wife.   It occurred to him that no one in the group had died, yet.  Well, he did come close to putting Hyde in a coffin, but he never wanted to think about those events ever again.  Donna just had to be okay.

"E-eric," Donna mumbled, when she felt his arms go around her, "What time is it?"  she asked with her eyes closed.

"Eight fifteen," he stroked her hair, "You can still sleep if you're tired."

Donna opened up her eyes, "I knew you would act like this.  Relax, Eric, I'm not an invalid," she kissed him, because she realized that he meant well, but he already had her bedridden! "I'm getting dressed now."

She got out of bed in a swirl and quickly grabbed her clothes out of the dresser and couldn't wait to get into the bathroom for some privacy.   Eric put his head back on the pillows, why did it always go this way with Donna?  He only said she could sleep if she was tired.  He did not mean to imply that she was an invalid.  Why did she always take things the wrong way from how he originally meant for them to be?  You'd think he'd have known that by now.  

'Damn'.

He knew NOT to not even attempt at knocking on the door to make sure that she was okay.   He just had to believe that she was.  

"Eric," Donna called from the closed door, "Get me a cup of tea."

"Okay," he replied back, maybe he could go to the market on the corner and pick up some pastries.  "I'll be back in a few minutes."  Eric put on his shoes, put his wallet in his back pocket, and remembered the room card key before leaving the room.

Donna had to for lack of a better phrase, 'get rid' of Eric.  She didn't know why she felt a moment of weakness in the wee hours of morning and told him about a lump on her breast that probably was NOT cancerous.  She would see the doctor when they returned back to Point Place and everything would be okay.  She thought she looked pretty good for a middle aged woman, women have aged better since her grandmother's time when a woman of fifty would look eighty, now you could how you felt and you didn't need to buy any of Jackie's overpriced salon products to look great.  She still used Ivory Soap and Oil of Olay mixed with Jackie's various samples.  She didn't color her hair like her Husband.  It was only since the past few years that she even started to go gray at the top.  She zipped her trousers and buckled her belt.  She would sit with Eric at the small table and drink her tea, and knowing him, he probably was going to stop at that little market on the corner for some pastries, and read the newspaper determined to enjoy this day.

The Morning After

        Megan for reasons she didn't understand had locked the bathroom door even though Hunter was still asleep.  That did NOT feel like sex or what she thought intimate relations were supposed to feel like.  She was glad that Hyde was gone out ALL NIGHT long and she liked having Hunter next to her.  Something was NOT right.  She buttoned up her shirt, he did kiss her tender breasts and she thought she felt SOMETHING.  She was just glad she didn't urinate (or worse) over him nothing would scream 'you're having sex with a cripple' more than that. She opened her bathroom door after she brushed her hair and sprayed on her perfume.  She wanted to wheel herself up the ramp and not have to face her fiancée for a few hours at least.

"Megan, are you trying to run away from me?"  

"Hunter!  I thought you were still sleeping?"  she didn't want to look him in the eyes.

"I heard you in the bathroom---"

'Damn squeaky wheel'

"Before you ask, I'm fine."

"No, you're not, " he got out of their special floor bed in his t-shirt and shorts, "Come on, Megan, talk to me."  

He followed his instincts and sat on her lap.

"Hunter," Megan put her hands through his dark wavy hair, "I don't think we did it RIGHT—did you feel the Earth move?"

"I don't think the Earth is supposed to move on the first time."  he whispered

"I wasn't very good,"

"Megan, It was me—maybe, we should have read some of 'Enabling Romance' before we—"

"No, no, no.  I wanted us to find a natural rhythm not to consult a book every time we want to f***."

Hunter kissed Megan on the cheek as he gently lifted her chin with his hand so that he could place a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you, we'll get better in time."

She smiled, "I love you, too, Hunter.  I'll make us breakfast."

"Toast-but not that organic whole wheat cr** your Mom buys!"

He got up from her lap.

Megan let out a small laugh, "No, Eric's Wonderbread."   She watched him put on yesterday's jeans.

"Did you enjoy looking at my ass?"  he asked when he caught her

"Yeah!  Do you realize that you didn't need your cane this morning?"

"Not until you just mentioned it," Hunter didn't feel like putting a shirt on yet as he grabbed the handles on Megan's wheelchair, "I wonder if Dad's back?"

"I guess we'll see when we get upstairs."

Donna NEVER would have let Megan and Hunter spend the night in her bedroom.  Well to be diplomatic, she didn't think Eric would, either.  Jackie probably wouldn't, but Hyde just left them in the evening because he owed a rock band a favor.  Hyde was cool like that in the way he trusted them.  

"Dad's not here—unless he's upstairs sleeping."  Hunter saw the money that Hyde had left them on the kitchen table.

"Here's your Wonderbread," Megan threw the loaf of bread across the room for him to catch, "You're closer to the toaster."

There was no real butter left, but there was the 100% sugar free natural Strawberry spread.

"Hey!"

"What?"  She took out the Strawberry spread it was either going to be that or plain toast.

"You're cute," he put the toaster on as he went next to her to 'steal' a kiss.

And that's when Hyde stumbled into the kitchen.

     Donna read a boring article in the lifestyle section of the Chicago Sun newspaper about how high school romances are nothing but a sham and it's best to end those relationships the minute you walk down the aisle to Pomp and Circumstance and throw your graduation cap in the air.  She looked over at Eric, keeping mindlessly occupied by balancing his checkbook and picking at his blueberry pastry.  She knew he wasn't talking because of her and how she might react if he 'dare' open up his mouth.  

"Eric, you're certainly very quiet."  She had to break the ice.  

"I'm trying to balance my checkbook without a calculator.  When did we buy Megan new shoes?"

"Last month, and that was on my credit card," She hated boring 'adult talk', "After you finish that, let's go for a walk.  I'd like to go to my old office to see if anybody from the 'old days' are still there."

People always say they'll keep in touch, but they never do.  

'I told you our first marriage was a sham and to go ahead with the divorce and I threw up in the bathroom.  Yeah, I really want to go back THERE.'

"Sure, Donna."

She got up and kissed him on the cheek.  "I love you, Eric."  She didn't know why she had to say it at exactly that time, but she felt that she had to.

"I love you, too.  Do you think Megan is up yet?"  he looked at his watch

"She should be in school right now, but I bet she gave herself the day off. You call her; she won't want to hear from me.  

"Donna—" Eric trailed his voice

"You know it's true, I'll wait for you in the lobby."  

Donna and Megan were more strained than Kitty and Laurie ever were.

"Hey, Hyde.  You what?  Where were you?  Well, I think it's best that we don't tell Donna that.  OK.  Put Megan on."

"Hi, Dad.   How's your trip?"

"OK," He didn't want to lie to her, "I was just calling to see how you were doing and to ask you how come you didn't go to school today?"

"I'm fine.  Because Hunter's here.  We are going to see a movie later."

'Say my 'baby' didn't have sex!'

"We'll talk about your self appointed day off later.  Sounds like you'll have a nice time at the movies, Megan.  Well, I'll phone in tomorrow—you do have the number of the hotel?  OK.  Love you.  Bye."

Eric sighed as he realized she did not ask once about how her mother was doing.

       Later that evening

     Megan loved not going to school and getting to spend the afternoon with Hunter at the movies making out.   Hell, if she got grounded (provided that Donna wouldn't go all postal and ground her for half a year) for taking the day off from school, it would be worth it.  Besides, after she got off the phone with her Dad, Hyde called her school and said she didn't feel well so that her absence would be officially recorded.  They were eating pizza in the living room and Megan couldn't believe that Hyde was going to be gone again!  She didn't know who this band was but they were great for wanting Hyde's services (due to his drunk promise many years prior) for the second night in a row.

"Well, I'm stuffed."  Megan said throwing her crust back on the paper plate.

"Me too, whatever do we do now, Megan?"  Hunter asked, finishing his soda

"Practice."

"You don't waste time, do you?"

"Nope.  Carpe diem, Hunter.  Give me a couple minutes to get ready."

He got up from the sofa and grabbed the two paper plates and soda cans.

"Megan?"

"Yeah, Hunter?"  she smiled

"Maybe we could re-read that book again before we—you know."

"If it'll make you feel more at ease, okay.  I'll see you in my room in a few minutes."

"No kiss?"   he pretended to whine

"No kiss. Think of how much you'll want it more, when you come downstairs."

He watched her go down the ramp before going into the kitchen throwing the paper plates in the garbage, the cans in the recycle bin, and he put the pizza box on the kitchen table.  Then Hunter headed up to his guest room to brush his teeth and change shirts hoping that HE would be better tonight.

           The restaurants near the Shubert were too crowded before the play so Eric and Donna had to have a later supper after the show.  Eric thought his Wife was going to freak out over having to wait a half hour for the table, but she remained composed, still it looked like she was going to burst over something.  And for once it wasn't going to be his fault.

"I thought the play was going to be better than it actually was—" Donna swirled the wine around in her glass.

"I prefer movies myself."  Eric replied as he cut the expensive steak that he wasn't hungry for.

"Eric, do you mind if after dinner we check out of the hotel tonight and head home?"

"No, I was hoping you'd want to go home early.  But we can still make use of the hotel bed first?"

Donna briefly smiled, "You never give up, do you?"

"Nope."

"Well," Donna didn't know what the future was going to hold, and it's not like she didn't want to make love with her Husband, "Okay."

"Should we call Megan to let her know we're coming home early?"  Eric hated the undercooked green beans.  He hasn't had a great meal since Kitty passed away.  

"No, she's probably out with Hunter.  But I'm going to have a nice little talk with her about thinking it was perfectly okay to take the day off from school today."

"Promise me, no fights."

"Who's going to fight, Eric?"  Donna asked as she finished her wine and Eric felt his stomach twist in knots despite the fact that Donna actually wanted to have sex with him tonight.

And so it goes.

Turning Tides

       Donna loved Eric's idea for their little weekend getaway and it had nothing to do with the lump on her breast as to why she wanted to come home early.  It just didn't feel right to be away from her home for some reason.  After their posh dinner, they did make love, but that wasn't great, either.  It wasn't him.  It wasn't her. It just wasn't passion filled and seemed like they both ached to be elsewhere. Not with other partners, just elsewhere.  Maybe, it was the fact that they weren't young people anymore and how your life changes when you are expected to be a responsible adult.  There were no old friends to greet her when she visited her old offices, not one familiar person was there.  The music magazine she used to be Editor for wasn't even in publication anymore.  She didn't know if she should feel guilty over that or not.  Donna didn't get the same rush out of writing anymore.  She pretended to be asleep when they got their car at O'Hare airport and was happy that Eric didn't put the radio on, even on low volume.  Eric tried calling the house earlier to let Megan know that they were coming home early, but no one answered and the answering machine did not pick up.  She didn't want to think about her daughter and her not getting along with each other but she gave herself the day off of school as if to think it was an acceptable thing to do, when she knew Megan was just doing so to push her buttons.  She couldn't be the smiling, laughing mother who bakes cookies everyday for an army of neighbor kids.  That was Kitty.  It wasn't her.  Megan was always closer to Eric, a real Daddy's girl, but there was a time when she enjoyed spending time with her mother and it was mutual.    

"Donna, are you okay?"  Eric asked as the 'Welcome to Wisconsin' sign loomed in the distance.

"Yes, I'm just trying to get some sleep."  She replied with closed eyes.

"We're almost home." 

"Okay, wake me up when we get there."    

But not only did it not feel right to not be home, it almost felt like she should be elsewhere.  Perhaps, it was only her soul turning over.  And what if she had breast cancer, what then?

        Steven Hyde was awesome Megan thought as she cuddled into her fiancée's arms.  Imagine a parent who would let you go unsupervised like this.  Granted, he would phone, they also had the number of where he was so they could reach him, and he left them money.  But Megan didn't even think Eric would let her 'get away' with this.  And Sgt. Donna?   As they say in the New York mafia, forgetaboutit.  She was starting to feel some pleasure so she figured they had to be doing it correctly.  Hunter had made a happy moaning sound when he climaxed, so Megan believed he had to have felt pleasure also.  She liked her candlelit bedroom as they lie in her bed; it was better than the floor idea.  The sex in her wheelchair that they tried earlier was okay, but it seemed rather clumsy and awkward for the both of them.

"Hunter," Megan whispered, "Are you awake?"  She put her glasses back on, but she had kept her hearing aid in like she always did when she was in bed with Hunter.

"Yeah." he quietly replied

She kissed his neck, "I'm not tired, are you?"

"No, Megan, I can't say that I am."   He put his arms around her shoulders, as she directed him as to how she wanted to position her body.

"I love you, Hunter," she said after he had kissed her full on the mouth

"I love you, too, Megan."   

They had only got as far as putting their underwear back on, so they didn't have to worry about tearing off each other's clothes.

But for two young kids in love, despite them being Soul mates their one world was about to be shattered.

     Home Is Where The Heart Is

     Eric parked the car in the front of the house as he had to take in their luggage and he didn't feel like having to traipse through the kitchen with it just to get upstairs.

"Where is Hyde?"  Donna asked, the spark of anger starting to ignite when she noticed the lights were not on throughout the whole house.

"Maybe, he took the kids out tonight?"  Eric replied as he turned on the lights in the living room.

"Well, Megan better enjoy it, because it is definitely not an option for her to be skipping school, I don't care if the President of the United States was staying over.  I'm going to make some tea, do you want anything?"  Donna asked her Husband as she felt her blood pressure rise.

"No, I'm good."

"Can you go back outside, Eric, and check the mailbox? I noticed some mail still in there.  Ask Hyde to do one little favor—" She trailed her words off and headed to the kitchen.

"Sure."  He put the luggage by the laundry room.

Eric wasn't anticipating anything momental to happen when he went out to the mailbox.  There was a collision, a conflict of interests, not knowing which way to turn, all the way from inside he heard the screams of his Wife and daughter and there standing on the sidewalk --just like that-- was his son.  

"Is t-this a good time?  Maybe, I should go?"  Mark asked, as he too heard the mother-daughter fight in progress

"No," Eric put the mail back in the box and closed the front door; he would have to deal with Donna and Megan later, "It's a good time, Mark.   Are you hungry?"  Eric asked, they could grab something at the 24-hour diner.

"Not really, Eric."

"I know where we could go.  You don't mind walking do you?"

"No," he gave an uncomfortable smile, "Four years at the Fort Sill Army base."

"Your grandfather would have loved that."  

Mark did not know how to reply to that and he didn't mean to let it hang in the air like that.  Eric took him to the water tower, it wasn't far from the house and it was out of the way and private enough where no one could bother them.  

"Donna and I ended our weekend getaway early otherwise we would have missed each other.  I'm glad you're here."  Eric sat on the cold ground.

"I wasn't sure if I should.  Do you mind if I smoke?"

Eric smiled nervously, "No, go ahead. Is there anything that you want to ask me?"

"Not right now."

"I know this is going to sound terrible, but I don't remember your mother—"

"How could you when you were stoned out of your mind?"

Eric put his head down, "Mark, maybe we shouldn't talk about our personal histories.  Maybe, it'd be easier to talk about other things?"  

Mark seemed to agree, "Okay.  WHY so many posts on the Star Wars forum?  You're a geek, Eric!"  

He tried to get into the mindset that Eric was his friend and NOT his father and to just treat him as an ordinary chap.

"I know," he let out a small laugh, "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

"I suppose I could eat something," Mark put out his cigarette, "Only if we pay for our own?"

"Sure, if that's what you want."  Eric stood up, trying to make sure his knees did not crack when he got up.

"Do you want to check on your Wife and daughter?"  Mark asked

"No, they're always fighting.  We'll have to go back for the car though."

Mark nodded determined to make it work with his father.  

       "I HATE YOU, MOM! I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, ANYMORE!  I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!"  Megan screamed at her mother through her jagged tears as poor Hunter tried to sink even deeper in the covers as he held Megan's hand.

('and they all lived happily ever after.'  good night, megan.  give your mommy a kiss.)

(i love you, mommy.  please read me another story.)

  
  



	7. The Heavy Spinners

Chapter 7

The Heavy Spinners

  (when Donna goes into the kitchen towards the end of Ch. 6)

     Donna could not wait to take her cup of tea and go into the bathtub for a long hot bath, then she was going to put on an old baggy sweatshirt, jogging pants, and she was going to borrow Eric's old thick camping socks before taking refuge in her bed.  Donna turned off the kettle when she heard a sound coming from Megan's basement bedroom.  Not the sound of her wheelchair or her taking off her shoes and throwing them on the floor like she sometimes did.  No, this was the sound of young, pleasure.  Donna was furious as she made her way down the ramp, she was glad there were no stairs there anymore, because she would have certainly tripped at the speed that she was moving.  She put on the lights and screamed at her only child. 

"Megan, What in the HELL do you think you are doing?"   

Hunter who always the shy and self conscious one of all the Forman-Hyde children had no desire for Donna to see him naked as he rolled off Megan and hoped that the light blanket was covering him.  He covered Megan's top half with her top sheet.

"Mother, I am NOT about to apologize for making love with MY FIANCEE."

Donna was taken aback at first but tried not to be stunned by her daughter's news.

"Since when are YOU engaged?"

Hunter held Megan's tense hand, it felt like impenetrable rock.

Megan didn't mean to reveal their engagement secret but this woman got her so angry that it just came rolling out of her mouth like a shopping cart being pushed down a hill.  

"Since Christmas."

"Where's the ring?"  Donna questioned

"In my ears.   Are you done yelling, Mother?  The whole neighborhood can hear you." 

Megan wondered where her father was that he wasn't down here telling them to both calm down to keep the peace?

"I haven't begun to yell at you, Megan.  Hunter, I suggest you get your clothes back on and go back into the guestroom."

"No way!  You can't tell him what to do!"

"Do you pay the bills for this house?  I will not allow you to have sex in my house!"

"You are SUCH A HYPOCRITE!  You and Dad didn't wait to be married—and you two smoked a lot of marijuana in this very basement!"

'And my dad still does' Hunter thought

"Don't you take that tone with me OR—"

"What?  What are YOU going to do, Mom?  Send me to Siberia?"

"If I could Megan, I would!  Now, I want Hunter OUT of your bed!"

"NO!  Hunter stays, YOU GO!"

"Excuse me, Megan?  Are you defying me?  I was ONLY going to ground you for ONE week due to your skipping school—BUT NOW you are lucky if you will ever see the outside again!"

"Yeah, I AM.  I'm NOT a kid anymore!  You don't get it!  I love Hunter.  You should be thrilled that I have a nice, caring fiancée."

"I am NOT thrilled that you were not honest with me and your father and Hunter's parents about your so called engagement!"

"So called engagement?  We ARE engaged, you BITCH!"

Donna couldn't control herself as she slapped Megan hard across the face.

"Donna, please—" Hunter softly spoke; he didn't want to say anything that was going to add to their punishment.

Megan put her right hand to her face, as she tried to keep the top sheet over her body with her left hand.

"H-hunter, get out of my daughter's bed," Donna cleared her throat, "We will talk about this in the morning."  She tried to calm herself down as she wondered where in the Hell was Eric?

"NO!"    Megan on the other hand did NOT want to calm down and she certainly didn't want to have this intense argument stop only to continue as a polite cop out breakfast conversation.

'Dad, pass the milk, by the way your Wife is a bitch!'

"Megan, you are seriously trying my patience."

"You ARE NOT MY REAL MOTHER!"  Okay, her biological mother was a complete and utter junkie who was the reason why she was in a wheelchair to begin with, but she was NOT about to back down from THIS WOMAN.

"Megan, maybe, I should go?"  Hunter replied softly as he kissed her on the cheek.

"NO!  It's not about what SHE wants, it's about what I WANT."

"I don't give a rat's ass what YOU WANT!"  Donna tried to pretend that she wasn't stunned by her daughter's comments, but if that didn't get her the next

phrase she uttered would be the arrow that shot her in directly in her heart.

"I HATE YOU, MOM! I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, ANYMORE! I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!" Megan screamed at her mother through her jagged tears as poor Hunter tried to sink in the covers as he held Megan's hand.

'Eric, where the f*** are you?'

Donna sighed, she was not going to cry in front of her daughter and give her the satisfaction that she knew she wanted to lord over her.

"Fine, Megan," Donna was done with their argument, she was starting to feel a pain in her stomach, "But know this, you are NOT putting off getting a job any longer, if you DON'T want me in your life then I will not financially support you anymore.  And on your eighteenth birthday you are on your own and NO matter what your father says you WON'T be allowed to live here anymore.  I can't stop your father from giving you any of his money, but you will NEVER see a dime from me again.  And since this house is NOT in your name and neither are the bills upstairs—I only have one thing left to say. Hunter, I am going to turn around so you can get dressed and then you are going upstairs to the guestroom.  Do I make myself CLEAR?"

Megan refused to reply.  She nodded to Hunter that it was okay (but it really wasn't) for him to get dressed and leave.

"You guys didn't mean what you said?"  Hunter asked, this was worse than any fight Tiffany had with Jackie and/or Hyde.

"I meant everything that I said."  Donna and Megan replied in unison and they weren't even blood related.  Imagine that.

So much for Donna's relaxing night with a cup of tea and a hot bath.

Sunday morning 4AM

     Eric felt terrible that he was so late getting home; he didn't call Donna because he figured she'd be asleep.  Him and Mark ate breakfast at the diner 

and they spent the rest of the hours in Mark's motel room talking, not about anything in particular just conversations designed for each of them to get to know the other one better. (Author's note-That will be the beginning of Ch. 8) He drove Mark back to the house so he could get his car that he had parked across the street.   He wasn't going to come in seeing as it was four in the morning, but Eric insisted that he come in for a little while, as he wanted to give him some photographs.  Mark rarely showed his softer side to anyone of the same gender, but if Eric needed to give him a few snapshots so their father and son relationship could grow stronger then it was fine by him.

Eric put his key in the lock and opened the door to the familiar sight of darkness as when he and Donna returned home from Chicago a few hours ago.  He put the lights on.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to come in?"  Mark asked

"It's fine," Well, he was sure whatever happened between Megan and Donna was anything but fine and he would be hearing all of the details later.  "Sit down, Mark."  Eric said, now if only he could remember where the photo album that he wanted Mark to have was.

It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's Super Psychotic middle aged Donna who flew down the stairs wrapped her robe.

"ERIC!  Where in the f***ing Hell have YOU been?"  It was at that moment that she noticed Mark sitting awkwardly on their sofa.

"With MY son.  Donna where is the blue picture album with my Star Wars stickers on it?"

"Eric, I don't give a f*** where your photo album is right now.  Come in the kitchen, we need to discuss a private family matter."

"Donna—" Eric started to say as Mark stood up.

"Thanks for tonight, Eric, I better go.  I have to sleep for a few hours before driving back home."

"What about the pictures?"

'Damn you, Donna.'

"You have my number call me when you find them.  Goodbye, Eric.  Donna."

Eric escorted him out, the words that he wanted to say would have gone something like, "You ARE a part of this family now and I love you."  and they would finally have a mutual hug with each other, but all that he could say was,

"Goodbye, Mark.  Have a safe trip back, and I'll talk to you soon," Eric closed the door quietly as he continued to speak, "What you just said to Mark was unnecessary and rude."

She couldn't deal with the Mark issue right now.  "I disowned Megan tonight."

"WHAT?!  What did she do that was so horrible for you to come to that conclusion?"

Donna was about to go into a full play-by-play mode when a slightly drunk Hyde came through the front door.

"Hey, what's going on?"  Eric and Donna were going to be arriving home sometime this afternoon why were they home early?  He hoped nothing was wrong with the kids.

"How DARE you leave Megan and Hunter unsupervised like this?!"

"Forman, I thought we decided that you weren't going to tell Donna?"  and for once it was Steven Hyde with his foot in his mouth.

"I didn't, man! You just did."

"You were out this late last night, too?"

"Are you my keeper all of a sudden, Donna?"  

"I caught them IN THE ACT!"

"So?"  Hyde replied

"What do you mean by so?  Megan is too young to be in a serious relationship.  Not that it matters since I disowned her bratty ass."

"Yes, let's get back to that, Donna, how did you come to that conclusion?"

Hyde sat in the Lazy Boy recliner.

"They lied to us about being engaged! That's what Hunter's Christmas present was to her, a pair of ENGAGEMENT earrings!  If they were mature they wouldn't have felt it a need to keep it a secret.  And it was Megan who reminded me that I am NOT her biological mother and that she wants nothing to do with ME!  Hyde, how could YOU leave them alone like that?"

"So, they had sex?  Big deal, Donna.  All of us in this room had pre marital sex."   Hyde replied

"Well, I think it's best if you take your son and go home now."

"Donna," Eric began

"Fine."

"Donna, no, Hyde, you can stay until it is time for you to go to the airport later on."

"Why are you all making me out to be the bad person in this?"

"You are not a bad person, honey," Eric replied, just a few hours ago he was talking to his son about the current state of rock music versus the bands he listened to when he was a teenager, and now he was back to angst central, "Of course, they're going to have sex, NOT that I want to ever think about that.  How could we be angry at them for that, when we didn't wait?  And maybe, it was wrong for Megan and Hunter to disguise their engagement, but they're good kids, Donna, you know that."

"Is my son NOT good enough for your daughter?"  Hyde asked

"I never said I hated Hunter, Hyde.  Megan is just too young to throw her life away.  But, if she doesn't want me in her life anymore than I won't be.  Incase you are interested, Eric, I told her that she has to definitely get a job now because I refuse to give her any more money and when she's eighteen she's gone.  And you would have known all of this if you were in Megan's room helping me cope rather than playing long lost Daddy to your illegitimate son."

Eric felt as if he was punched in the stomach it felt as if she had used the derogatory term and had actually called Mark a bastard.

"F*** you, Donna."  Eric replied

"You have turned into a crazy woman, Donna," Hyde replied as he stood up, "One thing is for sure though.  If Megan needs a place to stay she will always be welcome in our house."

If Hyde had said that years ago, Eric might have punched in the mouth over it, but now he was inclined to agree with his best friend.

"If you two think you know so much, I'm going to bed—"

"And before you can send me to the sofa, I plan on sleeping there anyway.  I wouldn't think of sharing a bed with you tonight.  How dare you treat Mark like he is NOT a part of this family."

Eric walked ahead of Donna to get a blanket and a pillow before heading back to the couch.  But who could sleep?  Hyde followed behind Eric without any words as he went upstairs to his room.  He quietly opened the door next to his room to make sure Hunter was asleep. He was, but the poor boy had a worry on his young face that he did not need. He closed the door as he stifled a yawn. He was tired however from the partying he did, he could pull all nighters when he was younger, but he was almost sixty and his body was going to pay for it when he woke up.  Thank god, he wasn't flying the plane or he and Hunter would never make it back home.  Eric tried to get comfortable on the sofa, but he kicked the blanket off and walked upstairs, he wouldn't be surprised if Donna locked the master bedroom door, he was slightly shocked when it was open.

"Donna, are you asleep?  Okay, you don't have to talk to me, I just wanted to remind you to not forget to call your doctor on Monday."

No answer.  "I know you are not sleeping, but good morning."

Eric said to the still body of his Wife in the bed before he left the room.  It was almost time for the sun to rise but all the shades, blinds, and curtains were drawn as he forced his body into yet another stress induced sleep. 

Mama said there'd be days like this?  

10AM

     Megan was surprised when she opened up her eyes, put on her glasses, and looked at her clock.  She couldn't believe that she had slept until ten in the morning.  She hoped that Hunter was all right.  He was such a peaceful young man and she had every intention of seeing him when she was sure Donna was asleep, but she fell asleep herself and didn't get to defy her ex-mother even more.  

'Ex-mother that's a good name for you!'  

Megan yawned as she put in her hearing aid and proceeded to get dressed for the day.  There was absolutely no way that Donna was going to keep her from Hunter.  She needed to take a shower, as she felt scummy.  She was going to put on something especially pretty for Hunter and to let her ex-mother know that she didn't own her.   Megan wished that she had stood up to Donna sooner.  It felt great to be finally rid of her.  

'She's like a cancerous tumor.'

Megan put herself in her wheelchair as she went to her dresser to pick out her clothes for the day before heading into the shower, wishing Hunter was in there with her.

      Hunter buttoned up his cobalt blue button down shirt as he looked at himself in the mirror.  The one time he did not feel guilty over his car accident that made him temporarily crippled for a short while was earlier this morning, when he got dressed after Megan and Donna's intense fight, he was able to kiss her on the cheek, but he knew Megan wanted to go for the lips, but he did NOT want to egg Donna on, when he was able to run up the ramp and unwillingly go back to the guestroom.  He wished he could have defended Megan better.  He hated being at a loss for words.  When Nash Winkler verbally harassed Megan at the dance it was Hunter who threw a punch to protect her.    But what could he say to Donna?  No parent wants to see their kids making out.  He remembered the trouble they were in awhile back, when they first admitted their feelings to one another and were caught making out on the Forman's living room sofa.  He hoped that Megan and Donna were not disowned from each other. Sometimes you say things you don't mean when you are in the heat of an argument.  He remembered the pain everyone was in (except for Hannah) when Tiffany lived with Eric and Donna for a few months when she was going through a 'normal' teenage rebellion.  He didn't want Megan OR Donna to be on the outs with each other.  Maybe, just maybe, they could settle their differences this morning at the breakfast table.  Hunter was old fashioned in some of his ways and always wanted to believe in the good of the world.  He put on the aftershave that Megan liked before he headed downstairs, hoping that Donna (and she should because she's older!) and Megan would realize that they could work out their relationship problems if they wanted to.  He wished he could've said something during the mother and daughter heated argument that would have made all of the difference.  When Hunter noticed that Eric was sleeping in the sofa he walked down the rest of the stairs slowly.  He couldn't wait to tell his physical therapist that he didn't need his cane anymore.  He knew that to be Megan as the reason for his 'quick' recovery.   He took a deep breath as he entered the kitchen, there was Donna sitting at the table, holding the teacup with her hands to give her slight warmth.  He didn't know what he could possibly say to her other than the usual,

"Morning, Donna."  he said as if were five years old again and had to be on best behavior because his mom and dad were having company.

"Hunter."  Donna replied amicably

"Is it okay if I go downstairs to see Megan? You have my word we won't---"

Donna cut him off, "You can go."  

Hunter wasn't going to analyze whether or not Donna's comments were genuine or on autopilot.  He just wanted to make sure that Megan was all right.  He walked down the ramp as Megan put the finishing touches of her perfume on.  

"Good morning, Megan."  Hunter said, as she moved her chair so he could sit on her lap and give her a sweet kiss.

"Good morning, Hunter.  You don't have to worry about me, I'm okay.  I thought about it earlier and Donna, my ex-mother, reminds me of a cancerous tumor that I had removed.  I'm going to read the classifieds later. You can help me find an after school job."

Hunter no longer worked at Caroline's diner in his small and quaint Pennsylvania country town.  They had to replace him after his car accident, his best friend Thomas offered him to take his job, but Hunter's character would not allow him to do that.  His friend needed a job, just as much as he did.  Jackie offered him a job at her salon, but Hunter declined as he didn't want to work for either of his parents and he didn't want to deal with salon clients who pay his mother a lot of money for facials and body massages.   He put an application in at the mall record store.  He hated what they called music these days, but a paycheck would be a paycheck.  He hoped when he came back home that his mom would tell him that the manager called and left him a message that he's hired and he could start on Monday after school.

"Okay.  I told your mom we wouldn't be doing anything, so we better go upstairs for breakfast.  Maybe, you two can talk later?"  Hunter kissed her on the cheek, and then stood up to give Megan a stroll up the ramp.

"Hunter, you were there.  I don't want her in my life, anymore."  

When Megan and Hunter came into the kitchen, there was a false image of what a modern American family looked like.  A father reading the newspaper and mother who was obviously pretending that she wanted to cook.  Hyde came in the kitchen as Hunter pushed Megan to her spot at the table.  He squeezed her hand to silently say that he loved her, and she squeezed back, knowing what he meant and was grateful for the support. 

"Morning, kids."  Hyde and Eric said at the same time

Megan knew that Eric and Hyde saying 'kids' was totally different than if Donna had said it.  The father's meant it like when you say to a bunch of people, "hey you guys" even when there are females present.  Kids was just a general term.  Whereas Donna saw them as literal kids, people incapable to make life's decisions.  Donna couldn't do it, when she saw Eric put the toast in the toaster for Megan, she turned off the frying pan dumped the scrambled real eggs mixed with Egg Beaters in the big serving bowl, grabbed the serving spoon off the utensil hook, and stuck the spoon in the bowl.   She didn't say a word as she went upstairs to the master bedroom, went in their bathroom, turned on the shower as hot as her body could stand it, threw her sleeping clothes in one big pile on the floor, and felt to see if there were any more suspicious lumps on either of her breasts.  

If Megan, her wretched ex-daughter, didn't want her in her life anymore than so be it.  Her mother stopped caring about her when she was about Megan's age when she ran off to California in the early morning hours.  You can't force people to love you.  So, why bother trying?

"Donna!  Can you explain what just happened in the kitchen?"  Eric asked over the hot, steamy water

"Sorry, Eric, I can't hear you."  Donna replied.

'You're lying'.

Eric mouthed the words "I'm sorry" as he went to the toilet and flushed it before leaving the bathroom as Donna cursed at him. 

Mama Kitty NEVER said there'd be days like this.


	8. Separate Checks

Chapter 8

Separate Checks

(Special thanks to kashmir1, for helping me get over my writer's block)

(takes off where Eric and Mark go to the diner in Ch. 7)

      The house looked tranquil from the outside, but Eric knew better when he and Mark arrived back here after their short talk at the water tower so they could take Eric's car to the 24-hour diner.  Eric had wanted to talk, not pry, but was fearful that he would push Mark away if he did that.  He had to be satisfied at the moment on what he did know about his only biological child.  He was a mechanic, part time pizza delivery person, had a smoking habit, was in the Army for four years, and most importantly his Mother, the woman he couldn't remember because that's what happens when you let drugs rule your life, died in a house fire.  They sat at the black vinyl and leather booths with an old fashioned styled jukebox housed in at the end of the booth anchoring the napkin holder and seasonings stands.  They didn't speak much in the car and it was driving Eric crazy.  They should've been talking about something, anything.  The silence could mean his son could go back to Indianapolis and never want to see him again.  But still Eric did not want to pry.

"Hello, my name is Diane and I am your server, may I take your order please?"

"I'll have the French toast."  Eric and Mark said in unison.

The waitress laughed.  

"You don't mind?"  Mark asked again, he tried to quit smoking twice, but couldn't.

"No, go ahead," Eric thought, if he let the conversation stay there, they'd never talk, "So, how long have you been working at the garage?"  

Eric hoped that didn't fall under the 'personal histories' label that Mark mentioned as to subjects they shouldn't be yet talking about.

"After I got discharged from the service."

Eric wondered if they were talking too little or just enough considering the circumstances?  Mark got up to use the restroom as Eric ordered a coffee, he wasn't sure if she should order one for Mark or not.  He wished he could remember his mother.  Not because he loved her, he knew he did not.  But because he had sex with a woman while he was in strung out on Cocaine who got pregnant with his ONLY biological child.   Red would have loved Mark, a former military man who liked to get dirty and fix cars and he knew Kitty would have gave him lots of love and homemade cookies.  But somehow it was his own father that Eric flashed back to.  He always tried to get Red's approval, but he knew he would have taken to his grandson.  He loved Megan and spoiled her like his sister, but there was just something about Mark that Eric knew his father would have connected with.

"I'm sorry that I didn't order you a coffee, I didn't know if you wanted one."  Eric asked when Mark came back

"That's fine, I think I'll get an orange juice."

"Mark, I have to be honest here and tell you that I have no idea what on Earth we could talk about, without crossing any lines."

"It's all right, Eric, can't we just have breakfast together?"

"If that's what you want."  He replied matter of factly.

To Mark any kind of conversation should be natural and not forced, but he still understood Eric's concern.  

"We shouldn't force our conversations."  Mark said as the waitress came by with their orders.  

"I'd like a small orange juice."  Mark asked with a smile, as he thought the waitress was kind of cute and it was easier dealing with the opposite sex.

"Get her phone number," Eric whispered

Mark let out a small laugh, "No.  Sometimes a man just needs to look."

Eric thought it wasn't his business to ask if his son had a girlfriend so he just replied. 

"How true, but don't tell Donna."    There was a woman cashier at the Piggly Wiggly who was extremely hot and did not wear a bra.  Just because you were married and middle aged, didn't mean you couldn't look.  As Red used to say when they were at Pricemart together, "There's no harm in looking, I'm not dead yet you know, but if you tell your Mother you are grounded for a month, dumbass."

"Relax, Eric," Mark grabbed the ketchup bottle by the napkin holder, "Your sage wisdom is safe with me."

"Ketchup on French toast?"  Eric made a face.

"Not on the bread, on the side.  You should try it."

"I'd rather the maple syrup."  Eric peeled the plastic seal off the syrup packet.  But it was interesting to note his son's personal food quirks.

"Here's your orange juice."  The young waitress said as she put the glass on the table.

"Thanks."  Mark replied.

"Just like Army food—" Eric tried to make a small joke

"No, better than Army food."

"I'm certain no one's ever called you scrawny."  Eric tried to analyze all the words in his head before saying them Mark.  He hated walking on eggshells, but knew that he only had himself to blame for that. 

"Eric," Mark stopped, he didn't know exactly what to say or how to even say it.

"Too personal?"  Eric asked as he drank his coffee.

"No, it's-difficult that's all."

"I'm sorry, Mark.  Maybe, I should go?"

"No, don't.  I didn't mean it that way."

"I guess we both have to realize that this is difficult for the BOTH of us."  Eric said.

"I wish I could tell you everything, Eric, you deserve that, but I'm not ready for that and I hope that you understand."  Mark cut his French toast with his fork.

"I do understand and I won't pressure you to talk about things you don't want to."

"Good.  It'll come in time."    He dipped his bread slice in the ketchup mixture.

"I won't pressure you, Mark, and if you ever feel that I am, just let me know."

"Deal."

'I love you.  I hope someday to say that to you.'

"Are you going to order anything else?"  Eric asked

"No, this is enough for me," Mark replied as he waved the waitress back over

"Did you want anything else, honey?"  she asked

"Yes, the bill—and can you write up separate checks?" 

Although, Eric remembered their conversation at the water tower it still slightly bothered him that Mark would still want them to "go Dutch".

"Sure thing."  The waitress replied

"Do you want to come to my motel room for awhile?"

Although, Eric knew he had to eventually go home and find out what Donna and Megan were arguing over, he knew he didn't want the night to end with Mark.

"Why not?  It's more private."  Eric said, leaving the tip, hoping that Mark did not want that to be split down the middle. (He didn't)  

Eric was certain that Mark would not want to talk about serious, personal issues, but maybe they could just watch a movie together or something.  To talk without saying a word.  Still he wished the future went a little differently.

~Eric's daydream~

~Never Was~

      "You're not supposed to be able to CRAWL!  Donna!"  Eric happily picked Megan up

"What?"  Donna came out of the kitchen; his mind couldn't help it if she was wearing an apron tied around her waist.

"Megan is crawling!"  The baby giggled and Eric kissed her nose.

"Why wouldn't she be?  Eric, you're running late, so you better hand the baby over."

'Late.  Where am I supposed to go?'

"Bye, lollipop."  He kissed her on the head and handed her to Donna.  He kissed her on the lips.

"Dad!  Are you ready yet?"  Mark ran downstairs in a Little League uniform carrying a baseball bat and a catcher's mitt.

He looked at the open date book calendar on his desk; the day was circled in red Sharpie, "Mark's baseball game."

"Yeah, come on, son.  Remember what I taught you about sliding into the bases." 

"I will!  You're the best dad ever!"

~End Eric's daydream~

"Eric, are you okay?"  Mark asked as he went through his wallet.

Eric blinked, "Yeah, I'm fine."  

How he wished he knew Mark as a little boy.   He didn't want to think about all the moments that they lost with each other.  How could he have rejected him twice?  Okay, maybe the first time he was in shock, but there was absolutely NO excuse over the second time.   And yet, he knew Mark would NOT want to talk to him about this, so he had to keep it all inside.  He was surprised he didn't have a lump on his body somewhere.  He should've had that heart attack years ago not Hyde.  God always seemed to be testing him to see how much he could take before he slept eternal. 

'It doesn't seem right to pay with separate checks'.  

        Eric didn't know what to say to his own son but whatever the situation it was best not to make a round peg fit in a square hole.  He put the key in the ignition, the fact that he wanted Eric to go back with him to his motel room for a while had to mean something.  Or was Mark trying to put a round peg in a square hole?

All Mark knew was that he had to get off the radio station Eric had on and put on something that he actually liked to listen to.  But all he got was a commercial for car insurance.

"Hey," Eric tried not to sound in desperate need of this conversation, "What's wrong with Aerosmith?"

The classic 1975 "Sweet Emotion" off the album Toys in the Attic.

"I'm not an Aerosmith fan."

"So, who do you listen to, Mark?"

"Hate."

"Hate?"

"That's just the name of the band, they're not skinhead's.  Just aggressive music like Stalwart and Blood."

"What kind of MUSIC is that? And I'm not showing my age, either!"  Eric made a scowling face as he was almost jolted out of his seat when he heard the single, "Abandon" by Blood.

"You just have to allow yourself to get into it."  Mark said

"It sounds like a car being smashed," Eric admitted, "This is 'not' music.  You can't understand the singer, and he's not even singing!  He's screaming amongst the crunchy sounds of the smashing guitars.  This is NOT cool."

"Just because you can't define it?"  Mark flickered his lighter on and off, as there were no ashtrays in this car. 

"No, because and god help me from sounding like my own father, but that's not music, it's only noise, don't you like normal music?"

" Eric, by normal do you mean verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, fade out, chorus?" 

He waited to see if Mark would do any quote gestures with his hands, but there was none.

"Are you going to make fun of me, Mark?"

He smiled, that they had in common, the same smile.  No wonder Donna fainted and Eric hoped that had absolutely nothing to do with the lump on her breast?

"No.  I like some quote unquote," Still no hand gestures, "normal music.  I used to be big on Led Zeppelin." 

"What's your favorite song?"  Eric asked, wishing the ride to Mark's motel was longer.

"Kashmir.  I bet you thought I was going to say Stairway to Heaven?"

"You don't like Stairway to Heaven?"

"Not much, Eric.  Too cliché, too make out-ish for my taste."

"Is this the same song," Eric could not believe his ears, "Or is this something different?"

"Same song," Mark switched off the radio, "You don't have to suffer through it on my account."

'Oh, father of the four winds, fill my sails, across the sea of years'.

"You don't collect Star Wars memorabilia do you?"  Eric quickly changed the subject

"God no!  Only nerds do that."

"Well from the self-proclaimed geek---"

"Boba Fett Ate My Hamster?"  Mark questioned with a smirk

"Oh my old IM user name?"

"Were you high when you created that?"

"No."  When he was high on Coke all he cared about was staying high.

"That's one strange user name."  

Eric couldn't tell if Mark meant his comments in-jest or if he really thought 'this IS my father? This sad old Star Wars geek who hates modern music?'

"We're here."  Eric said as he pulled into the parking lot.

Eric wanted to know everything about his son; he wanted to absorb it like a sponge as if the knowledge was within him all along.  But Mark didn't want to talk about personal things so he couldn't go into General Foods International Coffee mode.  Why did he reject him the second time?  Eric Forman would never reject a child—but he rejected his OWN SON twice!  The first time could be excused as a shock to the system after all these years to find out that he actually had a biological child, but there was no excuse for the second time.  He copped out. (Pulled a Hyde?  Nah, that comparison wasn't fair, Eric thought, maybe pre-Jackie, but Hyde was a very different man now than the young, afraid-to-be-hurt soul that he was when he was a kid.)  He hurt Mark.  He probably waited for the right moment to try and orchestrate a meeting with him and all he wanted was one hug and what did Eric do?   He rejected his son.  

"Eric," Mark said through the open passenger side door, when he noticed that Eric did not get out of his car, "Are you all right?"

Eric coughed, "Yeah, I'm fine."  Just like his Mother.

He wanted to tell him the truth, but it wasn't fair, because it wasn't about him feeling better, it was about Mark feeling better.   As soon as Eric got out of the car and out of his zombie like state, Mark took out his cigarettes.  He needed a smoke bad.  

"Here," Mark threw the room card key, but being thin Eric couldn't catch it and it fell to the ground, "Room 211.  They gave me a non-smoking room."

Eric picked the card off the pavement as he gave Mark a nod that he'd open up the room for him.

'Favorite color?'

'Favorite food?'

'Do you have a picture of your Mother?  It makes me feel like the scum of the Earth that I have no recollections of her.'

       Eric wasn't paying attention to the movie that they were supposed to be watching with his son.  But they weren't watching a movie; the film was just a distraction so that they wouldn't have to talk with one another.  It was almost time that Eric felt it was time to go home.  He was gone for an awful long time and the reason why that he didn't call home was he didn't want to wake up anyone in the house.  He hoped that Donna and Megan were all right, but they fought so much more intensely than Kitty and Laurie.  They talked a little bit during the commercial breaks, but it was just stale conversation. Although they were just general questions so they could get to know each other a little bit more.  Watching paint dry would have been more exciting.  Maybe, it was due to the late hour. Or Maybe, Eric had to realize that he messed up and deep down Mark did NOT want a relationship with him.

"Well, I should be going home, it's been a long day," Eric cupped his mouth as he yawned.

"And I have to pick up my car."

Eric saw a stock painting of a lighthouse above the bed.  It was as bland and mass produced to a state of nothingness.  

"Before you leave, come inside the house so I can give---"

"No presents," Mark stated

"It's not a present—I have a photo album I want you to see."

"Oh."  Mark replied with his head down

"I don't know where it is though---you can stay for awhile while I look?"

"Sure, Eric."    Mark figured Eric stayed here for what probably felt like infinity while they barely watched a late late show movie.  He could recipicate in kind.

     Mark didn't have any plans to come inside the Forman house, he just wanted to get his car and come back to the motel so he could get some sleep, but Eric wanted to give him a photo album. It wasn't something he could say 'no' to.  

Mark McAdam paid a price for being cryptic and it wasn't like him to play mind games.  If he didn't sneak into their house while they were gone, if he didn't leave Eric that anonymous note, maybe it would have gone better.  He studied the soft lines around Eric's eyes and wondered if that's what he was going to look like when got older?  They both risked something and what did it do?  If they were in combat they both would had shot each other dead already or they both would have been hiding, shivering in East-West caves.  Just waiting for the other one to come stumbling out holding a wrinkled white flag tied to a long stick.    

"Breakfast was good, we'll have to do it again?"  Eric asked softly, with his hands on the steering wheel in the 9-3 o'clock position.

"Sure," Now it was Mark's turn to cough, "If you want?"

'Don't you want to?'  Eric thought

Maybe this was it for Eric and Mark?  How could he live with himself if that were true?  What if his SON NEVER wanted to see HIM again?

Mark took out a book of matches that he had in his inside jacket pocket and tore the book in half.  

"Eric, do you have a pen?"  Mark asked

"In the glove compartment."  Eric replied 

Mark opened up the small drawer and took out a simple ballpoint pen.  It was yellow and the blue lettering on the side said:  Get More From Your Bank—At The Point Place Savings & Loan. FDIC.   He clicked the pen open and scrawled something on it and put it down on Eric's empty cup holder. 

'Should I ask?'  

Eric tapped the steering wheel when he got to a traffic light.  He wanted to risk it and run it, but with his luck a cop would come out of nowhere and issue him a ticket and say with a sneer in his voice, "Aren't you a little too old for that, Sir?"

"What did you write, Mark?"  Eric asked and let out a deep breath when he was done with the question.

"My phone number."  

Eric gave a slight smile as he turned the corner to his house.  His son gave him HIS phone number, like going one day without putting intoxicants into his system; it was one day at a time.  It was progress.

  
  



	9. Engaged

Chapter 9

Engaged

(takes place after the end of chapter 7)

           By the time Eric came downstairs he saw Megan and Hunter through the backdoor window as Hyde drank a strong black coffee at the kitchen table.  

"Where are they off to?"  Eric asked, resisting the urge to go outside.  

Megan was growing up and he had to let it happen, but he was going to have to talk to her sometime today about what exactly happened between her and her mother.  They couldn't be out of each other's lives!  That was insane and there was absolutely no reason for it.

"Out for a stroll."  

That wasn't entirely true, and Hyde didn't want to lie to his best friend, but after Donna's extreme overreaction of catching his son and their daughter in bed and their engagement, it was for the best.  He also wasn't sure if Hunter and Megan were going to accept his offer, so all in all, the right thing to do was not to tell Forman, who might say he'd keep it between them, but he could not be certain of their private, bedroom talk.  And he also wanted those kids to have the happy ending.

"I'm sorry, man, for Donna going down your throat earlier this morning."  Eric poured himself another cup of coffee.  

"It's all right."  Hyde replied, well it wasn't, not really.  But it wasn't about them anymore; it was about Hunter and Megan.

"I didn't even have time," Oh, no here comes Chatty Forman, "to process the fact that OUR kids are going to get married!"    

"Relax, Forman, they're not going to get married tomorrow."  Hyde replied, he couldn't wait to go back home and be in Jackie's arms.

'I hope she doesn't freak out about Hunter being engaged.'

"I know," Eric replied exasperated, "I guess, I better clean this mess up."

"You better," Hyde smirked, "I'd hate to answer to your Wife."

"Don't."  Eric simply added as he got up to take care of the breakfast dishes. 

Hyde knew the 'rules'. A man never talked badly about another man's significant other.  No matter how bitchy she might be. 

"I'm going out for a walk," Hyde walked past Eric to get his coat that was on the hook in the living room, "See you."

'How lucky for you, you bastard.' 

Let Me Count The Ways

      Megan missed these strolls with Hunter when he'd push her wheelchair around the block and sometimes they'd stop in the alleyway to feverishly kiss one another.  Like either one of their parents many decades earlier.  

"Hunter, your father is one cool guy."  Megan replied after their first kiss stop.

It's not that Eric wasn't "cool", and she loved her dad very much, but Eric Forman would not have slipped his daughter and future son in law a few bucks for the unofficially approved purpose of making love at one of the local motels.

"Do parents usually give their kids money to fornicate in a motel room?"  Hunter asked dryly.

"I think you're missing the point."  

Hunter got up from Megan's lap, "Do you want to?"

"Don't you want to?"

"Megan, you know I love you, but your mother—"

"She's NOT here, I think that was the point of your father's offer.  Hunter, if we cave, give in to her, then it plays right into my mother's theory of we're just kids who fool around with no substance who have what she thinks of as a so-called engagement."

'I HATE her.'

"Okay.  Do you want me to call a taxi from a payphone?"

"Yeah.  But before you do, sit on my lap again."

Hunter couldn't help being shy even with his fiancée.  He wished he could lose all of his walls for her.  Megan put her arms around and him and kissed him on the neck.  

"I love you, Hunter and I cannot wait for the day we get to be Husband and Wife."  

And although marriage scared most men, it didn't scare Hyde's son one bit.  He loved the concept of a together union and what it stood for.  His mother and father had a great marriage, yes they weathered storms but they came through them stronger and better.  Jackie and Hyde really worked hard to create a wonderful and stable family environment for their children.  The only time the foundation crumbled was when Tiffany was in the throes of adolescence not knowing if she loved her adoptive father or not, causing a minor friction in the family.

"Me too, Megan."  He replied quietly as he kissed her softly on the lips.

       Donna was still upstairs, sitting on their bed reading a dime store paperback when Eric stood in the doorway.  

"Hi Donna," Eric said not knowing whether to go into the room or turn around and go back downstairs.  

"Hi Eric," Donna replied, as she put the blue ribbon bookmark over the page, "Lie down next to me."

Eric smiled as he took off his shoes and lied down next to his Wife.  

"Do you want to go under the covers?"  He asked, not out of his own selfish beastly needs, but just to hold her if that's what she needed.

"No, I'm fine.  It's quiet down there."

"That's because NO ONE else is here.  I hope you aren't going to hide upstairs now because you and Megan---"

"I don't want to talk about Megan anymore."  Donna replied coldly. 

It hurt her a great deal that their daughter despised her so.

Eric didn't want to get Donna all riled up so he let the subject gracefully drop.  

"Did you call---?"

She couldn't help but cut him off.  

"Yes, I actually got lucky and have an appointment for tomorrow morning at ten o'clock.  AND Eric, NOT A WORD to anyone."

He swallowed hard, because he knew what Donna really meant was:  Don't Tell Our Daughter.

"I won't," he let his words hang in the air.  Like his time with Mark, wanting to say desperately more, but the circumstances around him prevented him from doing so.

"How'd it go with Mark this morning?"  Donna asked 

Eric couldn't tell if she really was interested or if she was just trying to deflect from the Megan situation.  Still, he had to give his Wife the benefit of the doubt.

"All right, could've been better, but—are you sure you want to hear this?"  He asked

"Yes, Eric, I do.  I'm sorry for what I said to Mark, next time you see him will you tell him that?"

"Donna," Eric sat up in their bed, "I don't know if there'll be a next time."

"I thought you just said it went all right?"

"It did, but our conversation was very strained," Eric jumped out of bed, "I know, where it is!"

"You know where what is?"

"What I was trying to find this morning."  Eric said from their closet

"Oh, the photo album?"

"Yes, Donna!"  Eric emerged carrying a box that was labeled, "old books".

"Don't put that dirty box on the bed."

Eric dropped it on the floor, turning his head so he wouldn't sneeze from the rising dust cloud that formed.

"I remember now!  You were in a hurry when we were cleaning two years ago and you told me to just dump everything in this box."

"If I remember, we were having company over for dinner and I believe my exact words were, Eric, you can temporarily dump everything in this box and fix it later."

"Here's my photo album with my Star Wars stickers on it!  And all of our PPH Vikings yearbooks." 

"Let me see," Donna grabbed one of their yearbooks.  

Eric grabbed his faded blue jean color photo album littered with all kinds of Star Wars stickers from his youth.  He opened up to the first picture where Kitty took one of him and Donna dressed up for a school dance in the driveway.  

"Donna, were we ever that young?"  Eric asked out loud.

'We look SO nervous in these pictures!'

"Yes," Donna looked at herself from the 1977 newspaper staff class picture, all black and white, but she could picture her long red hair, boyish tops (well this one was one of her more fancy feminine ones, the red Oriental styled blouse), and worn clogs.  "We were Eric.  Hey, look at you!"

"Oh god!  No one ever looks good in their yearbook photos!  Except for you."  He kissed her on the cheek.

'And Jackie'.  But he couldn't say that out loud

"Donna," Eric closed his photo album, "Maybe, I shouldn't give this to Mark after all."

"What are you talking about?"

"Our conversation was very strained."

"So?  You can't give up on him like that; it's going to take time.  So are you thinking showing him some of our old photographs will be a bridge that connects him to you?"

"Somewhat."  He replied quietly

"Then let Mark see the pictures.  He's probably very confused right now."

"Yeah, but he's not a six year old boy shivering in the corner, he's a young man.  A former solider, Donna."

"And he still can't be confused? Eric, you two just met each other, you two aren't going to be bosom buddies overnight."

He sighed,  "I suppose you are right."  Eric got up from the bed

"Where are you going?"   She was in the mood to reminisce with her Husband over all their old pictures.

"Hyde should be back soon and I guess I have to make lunch for the kids?" 

"If you don't mind, Eric.  I just want to relax and do nothing all day."

He tried to smile, but there were too many burdens on his shoulder's that it was very difficult to manage one coming from his lips.

    Hour Later

        Hyde saved the day by picking up the phone and dialing for a pizza rather than even think about eat anything cooked by Sara Lee Forman.  When Eric was at the door paying for the pizza, Megan and Hunter came in through the back entrance.

"Hi, Hyde."  Megan tried not to smile too enthusiastically, but it was his money that made making love in the afternoon with Hunter in an otherwise seemingly forbidden motel room possible.

"Hi, Megan.  I thought we could have lunch before we go to the airport, Hunter."  Hyde said

"That's f-fine, Dad," Hunter stopped talking when Eric came through the kitchen with two pizza boxes.  "Um, Dad---Eric--" Hunter tried to speak in a loud voice.

"DAD—HYDE! That's how you do it, Hunter."  Megan spun her plate around.

"What's up?"  Hyde and Eric asked in unison as everyone gathered sans Donna who was still upstairs going through the time machine in their bedroom.

"Dad, I'm sure—wait-um, Eric—Megan and I are—um---engaged."

"We know you already know, but we wanted to make an official announcement."  Megan said, as she held Hunter's hand.

"That's great," Hyde got up and kissed Megan on the cheek and gently slapped his son on the shoulder, "What do you think, Forman?"

Eric at the moment was not happy but he didn't want his daughter to dispose of him also, but between the awkwardness with Mark, Donna's attitude with their daughter, along with hopefully "non cancerous" lump on her breast, Eric really was not happy for his daughter and his best friend's son.  He loved them both, they were wonderful kids who never caused any real trouble, but he could not be really happy over their engagement at the moment.  But what could he say as to not upset them?

The thought of this pizza at the moment also sickened his stomach, so he pushed his plate away before going up to his daughter and his future son-in-law.

"I love you, Megan."  He kissed her on the cheek and gave her a hug.  He didn't want to lie and demean any of the people including himself in this room.  "You too, Hunter."  

Eric knew Hunter didn't like PDA's except when they came from his daughter, so he extended his hand for him to shake.  Which suited the reserved Hunter Hyde, just fine.

'Daddy—you aren't—crying on the inside.'

"I love you, too, Dad," Megan paused, "Can Hunter and I eat in the living room?"

"Sure."  Eric said

"And we have to be at the airport in an hour."  Hyde gently reminded.

"I know, Dad."  Hunter replied.

"Real smooth, Forman."  

Hyde ate his slice of pizza, Jackie would have killed him to see him eating this P.H.A (post heart attack) but that was years ago, and even his doctor said anything as long as it was in moderation was fine.  

"I just can't be happy for them right now," he whispered, "It's not that I don't support their engagement, Hyde."

"You don't have to explain anything to me."  

"Yeah, I do.  I don't want you think I don't care for Hunter---"

"Forman, you just told my son that you loved him five minutes ago, I get it.  Is this what being married to Donna has turned you into?"

Hyde thought they never should have remarried, but then it made adopting Megan possible that fell in love with his son, so he wasn't about to question the hands of fate.

"How many times are you going to put my Wife down today?!"  

Eric tried not to raise his voice, he really did NOT want to have this argument, but he was on his last nerve today.  And if Hyde was in the way of his aggravated mood than so be it.

"We were all friends longer than she's been your Wife and that's counting both of your marriages to her, so don't throw that in my face, Forman."

"I don't know what THAT has to do with anything, Hyde.  But Donna is just going through a lot right now, and people do grow up and change you know.  I know you've made it your life's mission to stay cool and Zen after all these years, but your son's severe shyness should explain a whole lot to you."

'Uh-Oh'.

"Are you judging me for how I'm raising my son?"

Hyde couldn't help but think of the hysterics Eric would be going through if he knew where the kids went this morning with his money and his blessing.

"No—and I don't want to have this argument.  But, Hunter shouldn't be shy like he is."

"And this is my fault?  Jackie's?"

"No—I'm just saying---your kids needed a father not a friend."

Hyde refrained from pounding his fists in the table or worse yet Eric's face.  He didn't want to ruin Hunter and Megan's goodbye moment.

"This is SO hysterical coming from you, you coddled Megan from the day you first saw her, and I'm not saying she didn't warrant all that affection in the beginning, it probably helped her in her recovery, but she's a young woman now—and you're going to say Hunter is severely shy because I am his friend?  What planet are you on, Forman?  I've grounded him several times but I've also known when to let go.  A lesson you and Donna 'your Wife' could learn."

"What am I doing?"  Eric stood up and went to the refrigerator to get some leftover-boxed pie (from the grocery store!) out.

"I don't know you tell me."  Hyde figured he'd be good and have one slice of pizza.

"I'm taking it all out on you, Hyde and that's not right.  Not that I appreciate your digs on Donna, she really is going though a lot."

"Fine," Hyde washed down his pizza with a can of soda, "Now cut the pie, Betty Crocker."

'You always have to be Zen don't you?  When are you going to grow up, Hyde?!'

He remembered that he left Mark's phone number in his car, and would have to get it later.  Eric sighed as he did his best to handle another forced upon him silence.  

        Hunter circled an ad in the newspaper with a red pen and handed it to Megan after they finished their pizza and snuck in a few kisses.

"How's this?"  he asked

"Part time, office assistant.  Perfect for students?  They probably mean college students."  Megan sighed

"Well, you won't know unless you call them."

"Yeah, I found this one in my section of the paper.  Part time, data entry processor—that doesn't scream handicapped does it?"

Megan wasn't insecure much, but there were times when that's all that other people saw was her wheelchair.

"No, honey, it doesn't.  Try that one, too.  I'll IM you as soon as I get home. --providing Jackie doesn't take my computer away."

Megan put down the paper and motioned for Hunter to snuggle closer to her on the sofa.    Being in his arms was the best feeling in the world for Megan.  She'd marry him now if she could.

"Your Mother won't.  She might cry a little—well maybe a lot, but she won't call our engagement so-called."

"I suppose.  I wish you and Donna could work things out."

"It's not happening, Hunter.  I have no real feelings for my mother at all, she could die for all I care."  

Megan whispered as she didn't want her father or Hyde to hear from the kitchen, but Donna was on the stairs and heard the remark, and as soon as Megan and Hunter locked their lips in a young passion the way her and Eric USED TO DO she quietly turned around and walked back up the stairs. 

And who was to blame?


	10. Once I Held You In My Arms

Chapter 10

Once I Held You In My Arms

      Jackie was nervous.  She was nervously debating whether or not she should frost the yellow cake or make a thick chocolate butter cream icing?  She watched what her Husband ate constantly since he had his heart attack years ago.  But she figured he could do with a little treat and she needed to keep busy instead of looking out the windows waiting for her Husband and son to come home from their trip to Wisconsin so that Hunter could surprise Megan that he was no longer in a wheelchair.  But Steven's choice of words on his cell phone at the airport was the reason for her sipping a Galway crystal champagne flute of cooking sherry while baking.  Someone was going to be making an announcement when they got home and to have everyone present.  Well, Tiffany was in her New York apartment and Hannah was at a friend's house.  And Jackie would rather hear this announcement in relative privacy.  As soon as she heard the front door open, Jackie who could easily pass for 45 without having any work done, ran to greet her Husband and son.  

"Hunter!  You're not using your cane!"  He knew the big swirling hug was coming.  

Hyde smiled, that was the power of true love.  

"Love you, baby," Jackie kissed her son on the cheek, "Steven! I missed you so much!"  

Hunter watched his parents embrace and kiss each other, so warm and sweet, certain that they'd be saving and he really didn't need to think about this, their naughtiness for behind the closed bedroom door later on.  He hoped he and Megan could be happy and fulfilled like his parents.  He didn't sense much fulfillment from Eric and Donna's end.

"Now, what's this about an announcement?"   Jackie asked

"Let's all go into the living room, Jackie."  Hyde said as he gave his son a supportive look.

"Hannah is at a friend's house and Tiffany is in New York, so it's just us three. " 

Jackie sat on the footrest just in case she needed to quickly stand up.  

"Hunter has something that he'd like to tell you."

Hunter looked at his father with his sensitive can't-kill-a-deer-in-the-wild-I'm-an-artist-eyes before he cast his young eyes on his mother.  Jackie was either going to smother him with lots of hugs and kisses or start screaming and breaking things as there was no middle ground with her.

"What is it, son?"

Hunter walked backwards and almost bumped into one of the solid wood end tables. 

"M-Megan and I—are—eng-aged."

Jackie stood up and looked at her son, the youngest twin who waited five whole minutes before coming out of her womb and then she looked at her Husband.  

"What?"  She whispered

"T-there's more."  Hunter replied with a dry throat.

He had to tell his mother of how the Christmas earrings that he bought for Megan were really a mere disguise to conceal their engagement and worst of all he had to tell his mother about the lunatic ravings of Sgt. Donna and how she caught them in bed and the severe fight Megan and Donna had.  He knew not to tell her about the present Hyde came him and Megan earlier, he'd be sleeping on the sofa for an eternity if he mentioned that.

"I-I love her, Mom."  Hunter added before she could respond.

Jackie walked up to her beautiful boy and put her hands on his face.  They almost lost him in a car accident because of some careless cell phone user and with all the emotions swimming around in her brain right now one thing was for certain; she LOVED her son very much.  She kissed his forehead. 

"I know you do.  Now, I'm sure you promised Megan that you'd call her---"

"Message her on the computer to be exact."  He replied, grateful that he got his breathing back. 

"Okay, you do that, son.  I love you."

'I love you?' thought Hyde, that was all fine and nice and they both loved their children immensely, but that was exactly what Forman said to Megan!  And although he wasn't against the engagement he wasn't exactly doing cartwheels over it, either.  

When Hunter went back in the entryway to get his suitcase and go to his room. Jackie closed the door for some privacy.

"Jackie, I know what you're going to say—but before you do I want to say that our son is a good kid, and you KNOW how much he and Megan love each other.  Am I the only parent that is actually happy for them?"

He followed his Wife into the kitchen.

"You don't know what I'm going to say, Steven.  Do you mind if I finish frosting the cake?"

'Cake?'  "No."

"I have every mind to call Donna up and give her a piece of my mind.  Granted, I don't need to hear about my sweet baby boy having sex, but he's doing it with the woman he wants to marry and be with forever and I think that's wonderful.  I'm not too thrilled with Hunter keeping this a secret for so long.  And there were times, I didn't think Megan was the right girl for him, NOT because of her handicaps but because of their age—but I realize now that they are Soul mates and remind me of another couple I know,"  

Jackie finished frosting the cake and went over to put her arms around her Husband.  

"And I don't want them to wait for as long as we had to—to finally reunite and then get to a happy place.  I want them to have that from the get-go."

She kissed his nose.

"Me too."

He pushed her body gently against his and kissed the side of her neck, that even now, after all this time, could still make her weak in the knees.

"Steven---" Jackie purred in his shoulder.

"What?"

She let out a small laugh, "Hunter's here!"

"So?  You know he's not going to show his face until supper time."  

Hyde was amazed on how gentle of a soul his son was.  He would have savagely made fun of, and beat up if male, a kid like that when he was in school, young, aggressive, who hid under the Great Wall of Zen.  But Hunter was HIS SON and he was very proud of the kind of young man he was.  Maybe, he was severely shy ('damn you, Forman') but he was a very good kid.  Who had the gentle artist's soul rather than the aggressive true art comes from a painful childhood ethos that epitomized most artists.  Steven Hyde was not a man to play favorites with his children, but there was something about Hunter that was unique and special.  That his soft spot was not reserved for Hannah or for Tiffany, but for his son.  He wondered how him and Ethan James would have gotten along?  Would they have been close or would they have hated each other's guts?  It was stupid to think about this and Jackie must have sensed it because she softly pulled away from her Husband.

"Are you all right, Steven?"  Jackie asked

"I'm fine, I was just caught up in thinking about Hunter."

"Me too," She put her hands on his broad shoulder's, "You don't mind if we put ourselves on hold for a few hours?"

He smiled, he knew what she wanted to do and he only wished that his late drunken and slutty mother ever showed an ounce of compassion to her son.

"Go ahead, Jackie, while he's still under our roof.   And while you're having your mother-son talk, I think I'll cut a piece of that cake?"  He made it a question.

That was supposed to be for dessert and he wasn't even supposed to have a piece, but what the Hell?  

"Okay, but just a sliver."

"Yes, dear."  Hyde replied with a smile thanking his lucky stars that he got the chance to be married to Jackie and a father to their children.

Sometimes if you suffer long enough, your dreams will come true.

         Once I Held You In My Arms

        Hunter and Megan's chat was short and sweet because her modem was acting up and she wanted to call her ISP's tech support so they could talk later on tonight.   So, he did what he always did, reach for sketchpad, but he was in the colored pencil mood and had his plastic blue box case on the bed with him, as he was working on an outside scene, the crisp beautiful countryside with mountains, trees, and lakes.  He didn't know if he should put people in the drawing or not.  He worked his pencils as if he were painting with a brush in strokes.  He took out a silver pencil to give the lake a shimmery glow.  He was lost in his work, only snapping out of his concentration to think about Megan.  There was never another woman for him.  She always would be his inspiration. 

Jackie opened up Hunter's door slightly and allowed herself to knock before entering. 

Hunter tilted his head, "Come in, Mom."

"You got off the computer early."  Jackie said

"Megan's computer is acting weird."  He replied, putting his pencil back in the box.

"Oh, I see," Jackie went to Hunter's desk and pulled out his chair, "Mind if I sit down for a bit?"

"It's okay.  Do you want to talk?"  Are you mad?"  Hunter asked, biting his lip on the last sentence.

"No, honey, I'm NOT mad.  I just wanted to talk to you for a bit."

"Are you going to tell me that Megan and I are too young to be engaged?"

Jackie got up and pushed his desk chair back to its original position.

"No, son, I'm not, may I?"  She directed her hand to a spot on the bed, perfect for a mother and son conversation.

"Sure."  Hunter wasn't a very talkative person and the ONLY one to bring him out of his shell was Megan, but he still loved his mother.

"While I don't want to discuss about what Donna walked in on, I will say," She watched his cheeks go pink, "She had no right to yell at you kids like that."

"Her and Megan really had a big fight, Mom.  They disowned each other."

'How sad.'

"How sad," Jackie replied, "Do you want to talk about it?"  She put her hand on his knee.

"Not really, I only wish Megan would talk to Donna, maybe that's all they need is a good talk."

Which it seemed like funny advice coming from him he thought.  

"I just want you to know that I support your engagement, Hunter.  I don't want you to think I don't.  I just hope you don't rush into things, but follow your heart, too that's important."

"Thanks, Mom."  He replied with his head down.

Jackie was careful not to cross an embarrassing smothering line and gently pushed his chin up with her soft hand.

"You are so beautiful," Jackie's eyes started to glaze over with tears, "I know you don't want to hear it, but you are."

"Mother—"

"It was almost seventeen years ago that you and Hannah were born—and YOU waited five minutes before showing your face to the world.  I know you aren't one for touchy-feely conversations son, but I'm not going to have many opportunities left and I love you."  

Now of course came the warm embrace, but Hunter allowed himself not to back away from the woman that made his LIFE possible.

"I love you, too."   She smelled like cinnamon and spice.  He didn't know if it was from the kitchen or a woodsy, musky perfume.  His mother always smelled nice and comforting.

She kissed his cheek, stubble?  When did her baby boy need to start shaving?  Two years ago to be exact.  

"I want you to know, Hunter, I promise to be there for you and Megan, she's a great young woman."

"No five hundred people!"

"What?"  

"I know how you get, Mom, so promise me there won't be five hundred people at our wedding? Promise me you won't go OVERBOARD?"

She looked at his sweet face, the perfect mixture of her and Steven.  The gentle soul of the family, the artist, the residential quiet one. 

"I promise.  One more hug?"

He sighed happily, "Okay."

She softly 'pinched' his cheek, "You are the cutest boy ever."

He wasn't a boy anymore he was a young man.  Hunter would be a great husband, sweet, caring, and attentive to Megan and in the scheme of things it was all that mattered.

"Mom—"

"I know, but isn't it better to have a mother that gushes than a mother who spits out anger?"

Hunter realized the obvious jab on Donna, he wasn't sure if that was entirely fair or not, but she was saying it for his benefit to make him feel good, so he couldn't fault his mother for that.

"Yeah." 

"I'll let you get back to your drawings.  Supper will be ready in an hour or so, whenever Hannah gets home.  Can I just say one more thing?"

"Can I stop you?"  He smiled, his cute little half smile.

"No, you can't.  Once I held you in my arms and you were my beautiful baby boy.  

And look at you now, engaged to be married—going to the Harper art institute after you graduate from high school—but you are STILL my beautiful bo—young man."

She put her hand on his cheek, it was warm and pink and she could picture him coming home from school, getting his cookies and milk and bringing them into his room so he could draw for hours getting lost in a Binney-Smith world.

"Mom," Hunter started to say when Jackie had her hand on the doorknob.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime, dear."

When Jackie left the room Hunter went back to his outdoor drawing.  The picture was lacking something, people.  He grabbed a standard number two pencil for shading and he quickly put that down as he figured he could get back to that part of the picture later.  He grabbed the bright red to make a checkered picnic blanket. His creative flow going in all different directions that he had to make a rope swing.  He drew what he referred to in his mind as 'general young boy' getting a push on the swing.  The boy with the dark (straight) hair and different colored eyes, a simple childhood euphoria over getting pushed on the swing by 

a woman dressed in a color coordinated and smart summer outing outfit.

The woman with dark bouncy hair and loving eyes, who loved pushing the little boy on the swing.  This deserved to be done proper, tonight when everyone was asleep Hunter was going to have to set up the canvas and spend the next two weeks on it. It would be his gift to her. 

He let one tear fall down his face before going back to his draft drawing.  

The picture saying what his mouth couldn't. (or wouldn't) he wasn't sure.  To one of the most wonderful women he would ever have the pleasure to know.

      Steven had to leave to pick up Hannah, as she didn't have her own car yet.  Jackie couldn't help but set an elegant table even if it was just an ordinary supper on an ordinary day.  It's not like she used their best China and she didn't put out the crystal but still she did take out the napkin rings which Steven felt were unnecessary.  How many more meals were they going to have as a family?  They all started to scatter once Tiffany moved back to New York City.  Hannah had her extra curricular activities and part time job and Hunter would be working again now that he was recovered from his accident.  Her baby boy engaged!  She sat in the kitchen not being able to focus on the salon industry newsletter as dinner baked in the oven.  She had to stop thinking of him in infantile terms.  But then again sometimes she would call Tiffany 'baby' as sweet loving term such as when Steven would call her 'honey' or 'doll'.  But she was no Donna (she was going to have to yell at her for screaming at her son and Megan.) she would let him spread his wings and fly.  She just wished it wasn't happening so fast.

~Jackie's flashback~

~Eric and Donna's House~

         It was the combined fifth birthday party for Hannah and Hunter and Megan.  They had it at Eric and Donna's house because it was easier for Megan's sake.  She didn't like her wheelchair and would tip herself out of it she liked sitting on the rug or on the sofa, but she hated her wheelchair something fierce.  Jackie couldn't blame her.  She sat on the sofa with her as she watched Steven chase Hannah and pointed to Eric to take a picture of it.  

"Happy Birthday, sweetie," Jackie handed Megan a small box.  

"T-t-hank y-you, J-Jack-ie."  Megan said, she was coming along in with her speech therapy and getting better everyday.

"You're welcome, open it."

Jackie helped Megan with the wrapping paper and open the box.  It was a silver toy top with her initial on it.  

"That's pretty, did you say thank you, Megan?"  Donna sat on the other side of her.

"Y-es, M-m-omm-y."

"I caught her!"  Hyde came back, holding his five-year-old daughter with the frizzy hair that was kept in place by a powder blue headband that matched her dress and shoes. 

Hannah laughed as Hyde tickled her. "Daddy!"

"Look who I found!"  Eric held Hunter who rested his head on Eric's shoulder holding onto a coloring book and two chunky crayons.

"There's my sweet baby boy!"  Jackie held out her arms. "I know!  Let's take a picture of the kids on the sofa!"

Hannah put her arm around Megan as Jackie put Hunter next to her.  They were all so small that she wished there was a magic spell to put on them to keep them that way for eternity.

"Tiffany, do you want to be in the picture?"  Jackie asked as Tiffany sat on the footstool wishing this day were over.  

"No."

"Hi, lollipop!"  Eric waved so that Megan would look up to face the camera.

"D-a-d-dy!"

Jackie clicked the camera and preserved the moment in time.

"Megan, do you want to play?"

Megan held on to her silver top tight.  "Ok-ay!"

"I'll go get Candy Land!"  She ran to where Eric and Donna kept the games in Megan's room.

"H-un-t-er, p-play?"  Megan asked

"Okay," he replied.  He didn't seem so shy around her. 

Jackie smiled; they were so cute she could eat them up.  Hannah came up with the Candy Land box.  

"You're playing, Hunter?"  Hannah asked

"Yeah." 

"Aren't they the cutest?"  Jackie whispered to Donna

"Yeah, they are.  Megan keeps holding your top!"

Jackie smiled as Hyde helped them set up the game.   "I know, she's got good taste, Donna."

"Mom, this is SO BORING can I go watch TV in Eric and Donna's room?"  Tiffany asked.

Donna nodded 'yes'.

"Okay, but don't touch anything!"  Jackie warned

"I know, Mom."  Tiffany replied as she ran off.

Eric made a home movie of all the kids playing Candy Land on their fifth birthday.  Jackie let out a sigh as she put her head on her Husband's shoulder.  They would never be that innocent again.

~End flashback~

   "My son is going to get married."  Jackie said aloud to the empty room with the tears beading up in her eyes as she went to get supper out of the oven.

  
  



	11. The Knight In White Satin Armor

Chapter 11

The Knight In White Satin Armor 

(special thanks to kashmir1)

        Eric was partially glad to see Hyde go, they were this close into getting into 'yet another argument', which was similar to how his relationship ebbed and flowed with Donna.  Donna was still upstairs going through old yearbooks and old photos and didn't even come downstairs to say goodbye to Hyde and Hunter.  Now he was going to have to do 'the thing' he didn't want to do, but at the same time knowing that it had to be done.  He had to have "Thee Talk About Her Mother" with Megan.  It seemed like the right time considering she complained that her computer was wonky and she had to cut her conversation with Hunter short while she was talking to their ISP's tech support line.  He didn't particularly feel like cooking, but they had to eat and something other than pizza!  He knew Donna was going to be in no mood to cook and he kept his mind on an even keel regarding her doctor's visit tomorrow.  It couldn't be cancer.  Not Donna.  She ate healthy and exercised, women like that don't get cancer.  Eric took a deep breath forgoing the cookies and milk; she was a young woman, yet she was as far as her chronological age, still a child.  He walked down the ramp and found her writing in her school binder.  Was she doodling "I Love Hunter" all over her loose-leaf paper?  

"Hi, Megan."  

She quickly closed her binder.  It was about Hunter all right.

"Hi, Dad."

"Can we talk?"

She knew exactly what this had to be about.  She turned her chair to face her father.  The only man she could say she has loved longer than her fiancée.  

  
"Do we have to have this conversation?"

"I think we should," There was no stopping Eric from getting a chair, "Now that no one else is here—"

"Dad," Megan wished she had legs that would let her run away, "You know what happened.  Why rehash?"

"I'm only going to ask you one question and I would appreciate an answer, Megan." 

No 'lollipop' but an almost stern sounding 'Megan', even though she painfully came to the realization that Eric Forman was not a superhero and was just her father, a flawed human being like everybody else.  She still did not appreciate his tone.  

"Of course, Dad."  

"I would like to know one thing and then I won't ask you anymore questions or pressure you in any way—WHY do you HATE your MOTHER?"

'Why do I hate my Mother? Do you want the lengthy or condensed version?'

Megan thought it was a valid question, but it wasn't something that she really wanted to answer to the man who slept with the woman upstairs.  She nervously played with the charms on her bracelet and thought of Hunter's sweet and loving touch.  Her knight in white satin armor.

"B-because she's a maniacal tyrant who takes pleasure in making people suffer. Dad, you of all people should realize that, from what I know she's played with your head for YEARS."

'And sleeping with Hyde to boot!'

"Megan Lynne Forman," Eric replied in shock, but lost steam when he couldn't find exactly the right words to say.  "I don't know what to say in response to that.  You have the wrong view of your Mother—and what did or did not happen in our marriage—"

'Don't you say it, Daddy, don't you SAY it!'

"Is NONE of your business---"

'No---damn you, Dad.'

"You can't MAKE me love another person."

Eric picked up a pencil out of her white mug with the blue handicapped logo on it and anxiously rolled it between his long fingers.

"No, Megan, I can't make you love anyone.  I'd like to know when this started—"

"Dad! I thought you only wanted to ask me ONE question, that's two."

"No one likes a smart mouth." 

'God! Who do I SOUND LIKE?'

"Sorry."

"Was it when we caught you and Hunter on the sofa?"

Megan huffed and puffed, as she really didn't want to have this talk with her father. 

"Yes! Around that time."

"Your mother lo---"

"You can't make it present tense, Dad!  And maybe that's why I DON'T LOVE HER anymore! I tried giving her every chance but she's a—well I better not say-"

"You better not is right."  Eric replied softly as he picked up another pencil to roll along side the other one.

Megan sighed, "She treats me like a child.  But apart from that, she called Hunter and Me's engagement—SO CALLED!  Like it wasn't real!  Well, it IS REAL Dad.  And you didn't seem to be doing back flips over it either earlier today when Hunter and I made it official."

"Megan, I won't say your Mom doesn't sometimes yell a little too much and can remind me of your Grandfather Red in the way that she disciplines. But SHE LOV—Well, I have to believe that she still does and is ONLY HURTING and putting up a brave face."

"And aren't you deflecting your support of our engagement?"

"No, I'm not.  I love Hunter; he's a good kid.  I just don't think you two are ready to get married."

"DUH!  I know that, we have to finish school first."

"Megan, I'd stop the smart mouth."

"Why Dad are you going to ground me for a year like SHE would?"

"I can see this is getting us nowhere.  But I can tell you one thing we are all eating supper together like we always do, so come upstairs in a half hour."

"I'm NOT talking to her."

Eric replied in the only way that he could, "I'm not going to make you talk to your mother or vice versa."   He put her pencils back in her mug.

The conversation felt flat and Eric hoped that it would have went differently where they would have shared some tears and she would have realized that Donna was NOT a bad person but a mother who loved her daughter.

"Good, because I'm not going to."   Megan replied as she wheeled herself back to her desk and to continue her 'I Love Hunter' writings.

"I love you, Megan."  Eric would have felt guilty if he left the room without saying that and kissed her on the head.

"I love you, too, Dad."  

'but not as much as I LOVE Hunter, my fiancée.'

"Remember dinner will be ready in a half hour."

"I know." She replied, not looking up from her papers until she knew that he couldn't see her anymore then she watched her father silently walk back up the rest of the ramp.

     LATER

     When Eric walked into his and Donna's bedroom all of their yearbooks and photo albums were still sprawled on their bed and their bathroom door was closed.  He softly knocked on the door.  

"Come in, Eric."  Donna replied

Eric opened the door to see Donna putting on her silk tan colored blouse.

"Dinner's ready."  

Donna turned to face her Husband, she wasn't about to tell him she was searching for more lumps on her breasts and feeling her life slip away.

"Button my blouse."

Eric walked over and felt the soft fabric against his rough hands.

"Donna," Eric started to say

"I'm not talking about Megan."

'F***'

"Fine, but we are not stopping having dinner together as a family."

Eric was certain that Donna would do this for him, just as Megan would.  He was hoping that maybe they'd just start talking again if they continued to have dinner every night if he made an effort to keep the family dinner hour.

"You cooked?"  Donna made a slight smirk.

"I got a recipe off the internet."

Donna put her arms around Eric's waist and pulled him closer.  She loved the mix of his soap, cologne, and natural scent.

"You're sweet,"  

She kissed him passionately on the lips and when she closed her eyes she felt like she was young again, when they were a happy couple, before they broke up over the promise ring.  When they used to lie on the hood of the Vista Cruiser, their whole future world ahead of them.

        If having their dinner together was important then where in the Hell was her father?  Megan thought, as she had to be the one to take the casserole out of the oven.  It smelled all right and she knew her father was trying to keep things level.  She put the casserole dish on top of the stove.  

"Thanks, Megan."  Enter Eric with his shirt a little more wrinkled and unkempt then when she last saw him. 

'Eww! Why would you want to f*** her? When you can get a divorce instead.'

"You're welcome, Dad."  She went to the refrigerator to get her iced tea.

Eric held the door open for Megan, although he didn't need to as she wheeled herself to her space at the table.  He followed a few seconds later with the casserole dish that he placed on the wooden cooling rack in the center of the table.

"What would you like to drink, Donna?"  asked Eric, watching the two most important women in his life, pretend that the other one was not in the room.

 'A whole bottle of wine'. "Water's fine, Eric."  She knew he was trying and she loved him for it.

He didn't want to fill the room with conversation just for the sake of it.  Megan ate with her head down and sometimes Donna would go on about domestic staleness that one of them had to do like run to the bank or the cable company.

"Dad," Megan looked up only to face her father, "Tomorrow will you take me after school so I can fill out some job applications?"

He looked at Donna, who seemed to have astral projected herself out of the room, "Sure, sweetie."

'Why did you look at HER, Dad?  I didn't ask HER for the ride, I asked YOU!'

The telephone rang and Megan knew her mother was going to get up and answer it because that was just the kind of ass her mom was.  She couldn't wait to leave the table and talk to Hunter on the computer. 

"Hello?  Yes, he is.  I'm sorry for what I said earlier.  Thanks.  Hold on a second," Donna walked over to Eric and handed him the phone, "It's Mark."

Eric walked into the kitchen and he hoped that it didn't make him a bad person to let a faint smile fall upon his face.

"Hello, Mark—what's up?"  Eric asked as he sat at the kitchen table.

Mark took a drag from his cigarette before answering, "I have an extra ticket for the classic car show in Chicago in two weeks on Saturday—do you want to go?"

"Sure," Eric got up and grabbed a marker that was on top of the microwave to circle the date on the calendar, "How are you?"

"Fine, I'm working late at the garage tonight because Luigi's is closed, the owner went on vacation.  I'll talk to you later, Eric?"

Eric hid his disappointment that their call was short, but at the same time he realized that his son DID call him and DID want to invite him somewhere.  It more progress for them.

"Anytime."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later."

And with that their short call was over.  

Eric walked back into the dining room with the telephone; he set it on the table.

"May I be excused?"  Megan asked her father, she couldn't stand the sight of that red (slightly graying) headed, poor excuse for a mother, freak any longer.

"Okay, Megan, but don't stay on the computer too long."

"Yes." 

'If you turn into HER, I will slit my throat.'

Megan left because she really had no interest in the moment to hear how her father's illegitimate son was doing.

"How's Mark?"  Donna asked, relieved that Megan was back in her room.

'Help me! I can't stand the sight of MY own daughter anymore!'

Eric started to clear the table, "He's fine.  He invited me to go with to see a classic car show in Chicago in two weeks."

Donna got up and kissed Eric on the cheek as she helped him with the rest of the dishes.

"That's great, honey."

"I know, Donna—at first I wasn't sure though.  Then I thought he did call and he did invite me someplace—so, I think after all that it did go quite well."

"Let's not use the dishwasher, Eric, how about I wash and you dry?"  She threw a dishtowel at him.

She just wanted to prolong the night with her Husband.   She didn't want to think about her doctor's appointment tomorrow morning.

"Sure, you say I leave spots whenever I wash the dishes."  Eric pretended to pout.

"You do."

"Donna---"

"Eric, it's over between Megan and I, so please don't attempt to offer any words of wisdom on the subject."

'How can it be over with YOUR own daughter, Donna?  You named her.'

"I just wish that the BOTH of you would realize what you're throwing away."  Eric replied as Donna put the water on in the sink to fill the little blue plastic dish tub.

"She made the choice,"

'But Donna she's JUST A KID!'

She squeezed the green apple dishwashing liquid in the tub and put her hands in the warm soapy water.

"Now she's going to have to live with it."  

"But—" Eric started to say in response as Donna handed him the big serving spoon to dry.

"The topic is closed."

Didn't her Husband realize that this wasn't something that she wanted to do? It was only something that she felt she had to do.

     White Knights

     Megan could not wait to talk to Hunter and instant messaging was not going to cut it, she needed to hear his wonderful soft on the verge of a British accent voice.  She had his number on speed dial.  She hoped that he answered and not Jackie, Hyde, or Hannah.

"Hello?"  'Damn'

"Hi, Hyde.  It's Megan, may I speak to Hunter please?"

"Okay. Hold on, he went outside."

Megan nervously tapped her fingers on the table as she waited for Hunter to come to the telephone.   She wished they were of legal marrying age (although there were some places where they probably could tie the knot.) and she could be OUT of this house and she would NEVER have to see that poor excuse of a mother ever again.

"Hello, Megan?  Sorry it took me so long," Well it wasn't that long of a wait, it just felt like it was, "I was setting up my telescope for later."

"No problem, Hunter."

"What's the matter, sweetie?  You sound upset?"

"I HATE MY MOTHER!  She's a total BITCH and I CANNOT STAND HER!"   She cried into the telephone.

Megan had a comfort in knowing that her knight in white satin armor would ALWAYS be there for her.

 11:00PM

     Eric had the news on mute as not to disturb Donna who was back to reading her paperback in bed.  He figured to Hell with the television and he pointed the remote at it and turned the power off as he let the remote fall on the floor.  'Ah screw it, let it stay on the floor!'  He snuggled into the covers and faced his Wife, the ONLY woman he has ever loved on the face of this Earth.  

"Donna, do you want me to come with you tomorrow?"

"No," she put down her book on her end table and cuddled into the covers to face Eric, "I would prefer it if you didn't.  Besides, I'm fine."

"And you're a doctor all of a sudden?"  Eric asked

"No, I've just come to the conclusion that just because I found a lump it doesn't mean it contains cancer."

"Let the doctor tell you that."

She cuddled into Eric's chest, after all these years his body really stayed the same with no major changes to speak of.  It was familiar and she needed that.

"I love you," She put her hands inside his old St. Louis Rams t-shirt, "I'm in the mood."

Was she really in the mood or did she just want to run away from what they were discussing?

"I love you too, Donna," Eric kissed her on the lips, gently at first, and then picked up speed based upon on the signals of his Wife, "Hey!  I'm not eighteen anymore!"

"Neither am I," she needed to feel every part of his body on her, "You're my knight."

And Donna was never one for the fairy tales where all it takes for the princess to be happy and fulfilled was to find her prince.  But in this case she needed Eric to be her savior.   She needed the fabled happy ending.  After everything she's been through in her life, she felt that she deserved that most of all.

Donna thought if there was cancer in her body that maybe Eric could f*** it out of her system.

They spent the rest of night making love to each other and when it was over cradling each other in their arms.   Knowing that whatever was around the corner they would be facing it together.   Like Always.  

  
  



End file.
